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THE  NOVELS 

OF 

CAPTAIN   MARRYAT 

EDITED    BY 

R.  BRIMLEY    JOHNSON 


This  Edition  of  Captain  Marry af  s  NovelSf 

made  exclusively  for  members  of  the 

NEW  YORK  YACHT  CLUB 

is  strictly  limited  to  one  hundred  copies. 

Copy  No.  ^  5 

PRINTED  FOR 

H.  A.  VAN  LIEfT,  Esq. 


A^ 


NEW  YORK  YACHT  CLUB  EDITION 


THE    PHANTOM   SHIP 


BY 
CAPTAIN   MARRYAT 


NEW  YORK 
CROSCUP  AND   COMPANY 

MDCCCXCVI 


mtrf^ 


Contents 


Chapter  i 

> 

I 

Chapter  ii 

13 

Chapter  hi 

25 

Chapter  iv 

33 

Chapter  v 

.         46 

Chapter  vi 

55 

Chapter  vii 

.        64 

Chapter  viii 

71 

Chapter  ix 

.        85 

Chapter  x 

97 

Chapter  xi 

III 

Chapter  xii       . 

127 

Chapter  xiii      . 

141 

Chapter  xiv     , 

152 

Chapter  xv 

163 

Chapter  xvi 

172 

Chapter  xvii     . 

184 

Chapter  xviii    . 

196 

Chapter  xix 

216 

Chapter  xx       «              , 

6                                   f                                  , 

'                   223 

Chapter  xxi      . 

c               229 

Chapter  xxn     , 

, 

* 

« 

245 

VI 


Contents 


Chapter  xxiii  . 

.       249 

Chapter  xxiv    . 

.       262 

Chapter  xxv     . 

267 

Chapter  xxvi    . 

.       270 

Chapter  xxvii  . 

.       278 

Chapter  xxviii  . 

.       284 

Chapter  xxix    . 

.       288 

Chapter  xxx     . 

294 

Chapter  xxxi    . 

304 

Chapter  xxxii  . 

'       311 

Chapter  xxxiii  . 

318 

Chapter  xxxiv  . 

326 

Chapter  xxxv  . 

331 

Chapter  xxxvi  . 

335 

Chapter  xxxvii 

340 

Chapter  xxxv  hi              . 

348 

Chapter  xxxix . 

354 

Chapter  xl       .             , 

381 

Chapter  xli      .             * 

391 

Chapter  xlii     . 

^01 

List  of  Etchings 


"  Philip     Vanderdecken — That's     the     Flying    Dutch- 
man /  "      .  ,  .  .  .  Frontispiece 

PAGE 
He    beheld    ,    ,    »    THE    ONE-EYED    ScHRIFTEN  ,  .  164 

Philip  .  .   .  caught  it  in  his  arms,  and  hurled  it  into 

THE    SEA        ...,.,  266 

The  little  Portuguese  Commandant  .  .  .  ordered  them 

to  prison  for  further  examination  .  .       3o4 

After    a    scrutiny    of    some    moments,  the    Secretary 

SPOKE  .  o  .,  .  -  .  341 

He  extended  his  hand  to  Philip — it  was  taken  .       402 


Prefatory  Note 


The  Phantom  Ship  is  the  most  notable  of  the  three 
novels  constructed  by  Marryat  on  an  historic  basis,  and 
like  its  predecessor  in  the  same  category,  Snarleyyoiv, 
depends  largely  for  its  interest  on  the  element  of  diablerie, 
which  is  very  skilfully  manipulated.  Here,  however,  the 
supernatural  appearances  are  never  explained  away,  and 
the  ghostly  agencies  are  introduced  in  the  spirit  of  serious, 
if  somewhat  melodramatic,  romance.  Marryat's  personal 
experience  enabled  him,  with  little  research,  to  produce  a 
life-like  picture  of  old  Dutch  seamanship,  and  his  powers 
in  racy  narrative  have  transformed  the  Vanderdecken 
legend  into  a  stirring  tale  of  terror.  The  plot  cannot  be 
called  original,  but  it  is  more  carefully  worked  out  and, 
from  the  nature  of  the  material  at  hand,  more  effective 
than  most  of  Marryat's  own.  He  has  put  life  into  it, 
moreover,  by  the  creation  of  some  genuine  characters, 
designed  for  nobler  ends  than  to  move  the  machinery. 

Amine,  indeed,  as  Mr  Hannay  points  out,  "  is  by  far 
his  nearest  approach  to  an  acceptable  heroine."  Her 
romantic  and  curiously  superstitious  disposition  is  ad- 
mirably restrained  by  strength  of  will  and  true  courage. 
The  scenes  of  the  Inquisition  by  which  she  meets  her  death 
are  forcibly  described.  Philip  Vanderdecken  is  a  very 
respectable  hero  ;  daring,  impetuous,  and  moody,  without 
being  too  improbably  capable.  The  hand  of  destinv  lends 
him  a  dignity  of  which  he  is  by  no  means  unworthy. 
Krantz,  the  faithful  friend,  belongs  to  a  familiar  type,  but 
the  one-eyed  pilot  is  quite  sufficiently  weird  for  the  part 
he  has  to  play.     For  the  rest  we  have  the  usual  exciting 


X  Prefatory  Note 

adventures  by  sea  and  land  ;  the  usual  "  humours,"  in  this 
case  certainly  not  overdone.  The  miser  Dr  Foots  ;  the 
bulky  Kloots,  his  bear,  and  his  super-cargo ;  Barentz  and 
his  crazy  lady-love  the  Vroiu  Katerina ;  and  the  little 
Portuguese  Commandant  provide  the  reader  with  a  variety 
of  good-natured  entertainment.  It  was  an  act  of  doubtful 
wisdom,  perhaps,  to  introduce  a  second  group  of  spirits 
from  the  Hartz  mountains,  but  the  story  of  the  weir- 
wolves  is  told  simply,  without  any  straining  after  effect. 

The  general  success,  however,  is  marred  by  certain 
obvious  failures  in  detail.  The  attempt  to  produce  an 
historic  flavour  by  making  the  characters,  during  their 
calmer  moments,  talk  in  would-be  old  English  is  more 
amusing  than  culpable ;  but  the  author's  philosophy  of  the 
unseen,  as  expounded  by  Amine  or  Krantz,  is  both  weak 
and  tiresome,  and  his  religious  discourses,  coloured  by 
prejudice  against  the  Romanists,  are  conventional  and 
unconvincing.  The  closing  scene  savours  of  the  Sunday- 
school. 

But  these  faults  are  not  obtrusive,  and  the  novel  as  a 
whole  must  take  a  high  place  among  its  author's  second- 
best. 

The  Phantom  Ship  appeared  in  The  New  Monthly  Magazine, 
1838,  1839.  It  is  here  reprinted  from  the  first  edition, 
in  three  volumes.     Henry  Colburn,  1839. 

R.  B.  J. 


The    Phantom    Ship 


Chapter  I 

About  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  small  but  fortified  town  of  Terneuse,  situated 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Scheldt,  and  nearly  opposite  to 
the  island  of  Walcheren,  there  was  to  be  seen,  in  advance 
of  a  few  other  even  more  humble  tenements,  a  small  but 
neat  cottage,  built  according  to  the  prevailing  taste  of  the 
time.  The  outside  front  had,  some  years  back,  been 
painted  of  a  deep  orange,  the  windows  and  shutters  of  a 
vivid  green.  To  about  three  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  it  was  faced  alternately  with  blue  and  white  tiles. 
A  small  garden,  of  about  two  rods  of  our  measure  of  land, 
surrounded  the  edifice  ;  and  this  little  plot  was  flanked  by 
a  low  hedge  of  privet,  and  encircled  by  a  moat  full  of 
water,  too  wide  to  be  leaped  with  ease.  Over  that  part  of 
the  moat  which  was  in  front  of  the  cottage  door,  was  a 
small  and  narrow  bridge,  with  ornamented  iron  hand-rails, 
for  the  security  of  the  passenger.  But  the  colours, 
originally  so  bright,  with  which  the  cottage  had  been 
decorated,  had  now  faded ;  symptoms  of  rapid  decay  were 
evident  in  the  window-sills,  the  door-jambs,  and  other 
wooden  parts  of  the  tenement,  and  many  of  the  white  and 
blue  tiles  had  fallen  down,  and  had  not  been  replaced. 
That  much  care  had  once  been  bestowed  upon  this  little 
tenement,  was  as  evident  as  that  latterly  it  had  been 
equally  neglected. 

P.S.  A 


2  The  Phantom  Ship 

The  inside  of  the  cottage,  both  on  the  basement  and  the 
floor  above,  was  divided  into  two  larger  rooms  in  front, 
and  two  smaller  behind ;  the  rooms  in  front  could  only  be 
called  large  in  comparison  with  the  other  two,  as  they 
were  little  more  than  twelve  feet  square,  with  but  one 
window  to  each.  The  upper  floor  was,  as  usual,  appro- 
priated to  the  bedrooms-,  on  the  lower,  the  two  smaller 
rooms  were  now  used  only  as  a  wash-house  and  a  lumber- 
room  ;  while  one  of  the  larger  was  fitted  up  as  a  kitchen, 
and  furnished  with  dressers,  on  which  the  metal  utensils 
for  cookery  shone  clean  and  polished  as  silver.  The  room 
itself  was  scrupulously  neat ;  but  the  furniture,  as  well  as 
the  utensils,  were  scanty.  The  boards  of  the  floor  were 
of  a  pure  white,  and  so  clean  that  you  might  have  laid 
anything  down  without  fear  of  soiling  it.  A  strong  deal 
table,  two  wooden-seated  chairs,  and  a  small  easy  couch, 
which  had  been  removed  from  one  of  the  bedrooms  up- 
stairs, were  all  the  movables  which  this  room  contained. 
The  other  front  room  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  parlour; 
but  what  might  be  the  style  of  its  furniture  was  now 
unknown,  for  no  eye  had  beheld  the  contents  of  that  room 
for  nearly  seventeen  years,  during  which  it  had  been 
hermetically  sealed,  even  to  the  inmates  of  the  cottage. 

The  kitchen,  which  we  have  described,  was  occupied  by 
two  persons.  One  was  a  woman,  apparently  about  forty 
years  of  age,  but  worn  down  by  pain  and  suffering.  She 
had  evidently  once  possessed  much  beauty  :  there  were 
still  the  regular  outlines,  the  noble  forehead,  and  the  large 
dark  eye  ;  but  there  was  a  tenuity  in  her  features,  a  wasted 
appearance,  such  as  to  render  the  flesh  transparent;  her 
brow,  when  she  mused,  would  sink  into  deep  wrinkles, 
premature  though  they  were ;  and  the  occasional  flashing 
of  her  eyes  strongly  impressed  you  with  the  idea  of 
insanity.  There  appeared  to  be  some  deep-seated,  irre- 
movable, hopeless  cause  of  anguish,  never  for  one  moment 
permitted  to  be  absent  from  her  memory :  a  chronic 
oppression,  fixed  and  graven  there,  only  to  be  removed  by 
death.     She  was  dressed  in  the  widow's  coif  of  the  time  ; 


The  Phantom  Ship  3 

but  although  clean  and  neat,  her  garments  were  faded  from 
long  wear.  She  was  seated  upon  the  small  couch  which 
we  have  mentioned,  evidently  brought  down  as  a  relief  to 
her,  in  her  declining  state. 

On  the  deal  table  in  the  centre  of  the  room  sat  the  other 
person,  a  stout,  fair-headed,  florid  youth  of  nineteen  or 
twenty  years  old.  His  features  were  handsome  and  bold, 
and  his  frame  powerful  to  excess ;  his  eye  denoted 
courage  and  determination,  and  as  he  carelessly  swung  his 
legs,  and  whistled  an  air  in  an  emphatic  manner,  it  was 
impossible  not  to  form  the  idea  that  he  was  a  daring, 
adventurous,  and  reckless  character. 

**  Do  not  go  to  sea,  Philip ;  oh,  promise  me  that,  my 
dear,  dear  child,"  said  the  female,  clasping  her  hands. 

"And  why  not  go  to  sea,  mother?"  replied  Philip; 
"  what's  the  use  of  my  staying  here  to  starve  ? — for,  by 
Heaven!  it's  little  better.  I  must  do  something  for 
myself  and  for  you.  And  what  else  can  I  do  ?  My 
uncle  Van  Brennen  has  offered  to  take  me  with  him, 
and  will  give  me  good  wages.  Then  I  shall  live  happily 
on  board,  and  my  earnings  will  be  sufficient  for  your 
support  at  home." 

"  Philip — Philip,  hear  me.  I  shall  die  if  you  leave  me. 
Whom  have  I  in  the  world  but  you }  O  my  child,  as 
you  love  me,  and  I  know  you  do  love  me,  Philip,  don't 
leave  me ;  but  if  you  will,  at  all  events  do  not  go  to 
sea." 

Philip  gave  no  immediate  reply ;  he  whistled  for  a  few 
seconds,  while  his  mother  wept. 

"  Is  it,"  said  he  at  last,  "  because  my  father  was  drowned 
at  sea,  that  you  beg  so  hard,  mother  ? " 

"  Oh,  no — no !  "  exclaimed  the  sobbing  woman.  "  Would 
to  God " 

"  Would  to  God  what,  mother  ? " 

"Nothing — nothing.  Be  merciful — be  merciful,  O 
God ! "  replied  the  mother,  sliding  from  her  seat  on 
the  couch,  and  kneeling  by  the  side  of  it,  n  which 
attitude  she  remained   for  some  time  in  fervent  prayer. 


4  The  Phantom  Ship 

At  last  she  resumed  her  seat,  and  her  face  wore  an 
aspect  of  more  composure. 

Philip,  who,  during  this,  had  remained  silent  and 
thoughtful,  again  addressed  his  mother. 

"  Look  ye,  mother.  You  ask  me  to  stay  on  shore  with 
you,  and  starve, — rather  hard  conditions  : — now  hear  what 
I  have  to  say.  That  room  opposite  has  been  shut  up 
ever  since  I  can  remember — why,  you  will  never  tell  me  ; 
but  once  I  heard  you  say,  when  we  were  without  bread, 
and  with  no  prospect  of  my  uncle's  return — you  were 
then  half  frantic,  mother,  as  you  know  you  sometimes 
are " 

"Well,  Philip,  what  did  you  hear  me  say?"  enquired 
his  mother  with  tremulous  anxiety. 

"  You  said,  mother,  that  there  was  money  in  that  room 
which  would  save  us ;  and  then  you  screamed  and  raved, 
and  said  that  you  preferred  death.  Now,  mother,  what 
is  there  in  that  chamber,  and  why  has  it  been  so  long  shut 
up  ?     Either  I  know  that,  or  I  go  to  sea." 

At  the  commencement  of  this  address  of  Philip,  his 
mother  appeared  to  be  transfixed,  and  motionless  as  a 
statue  ;  gradually  her  lips  separated,  and  her  eyes  glared ; 
she  seemed  to  have  lost  the  power  of  reply ;  she  put 
her  hand  to  her  right  side,  as  if  to  compress  it,  then  both 
her  hands,  as  if  to  relieve  herself  from  excruciating 
torture :  at  last  she  sank,  with  her  head  forward,  and 
the  blood  poured  out  of  her  mouth. 

Philip  sprang  from  the  table  to  her  assistance,  and 
prevented  her  from  falling  on  the  floor.  He  laid  her 
on  the  couch,  watching  with  alarm  the  continued  effusion. 

"  Oh  !  mother — mother,  what  is  this  ? "  cried  he,  at 
last,  in  great  distress. 

For  some  time  his  mother  could  make  him  no  reply; 
she  turned  further  on  her  side,  that  she  might  not  be 
suffocated  by  the  discharge  from  the  ruptured  vessel, 
and  the  snow-white  planks  of  the  floor  were  soon 
crimsoned  with  her  blood. 

"  Speak,  dearest  mother,  if  you  can,"  repeated  Philip, 


The  Phantom  Ship  5 

in  agony ;  "  what  shall  I  do  ?  what  shall  I  give  you  ? 
God  Almighty  !  what  is  this  ?  " 

"  Death,  my  child,  death ! "  at  length  replied  the  poor 
woman,  sinking  into  a  state  of  unconsciousness. 

Philip,  now  much  alarmed,  flew  out  of  the  cottage, 
and  called  the  neighbours  to  his  mother's  assistance.  Two 
or  three  hastened  to  the  call ;  and  as  soon  as  Philip  saw 
them  occupied  in  restoring  his  mother,  he  ran  as  fast  as 
he  could  to  the  house  of  a  medical  man,  who  lived  about 
a  mile  off — one  Mynheer  Poots,  a  little,  miserable,  avari- 
cious wretch,  but  known  to  be  very  skilful  in  his  pro- 
fession. Philip  found  Poots  at  home,  and  insisted  upon 
his  immediate  attendance. 

"  I  will  come — yes,  most  certainly,"  replied  Poots,  who 
spoke  the  language  but  imperfectly ;  "  but  Mynheer  Van- 
derdecken,  who  will  pay  me  ? " 

"  Pay  you  !  my  uncle  will,  directly  that  he  comes  home." 

**  Your  uncle  de  Skipper  Van  Brennen :  no,  he  owes 
me  four  guilders,  and  he  has  owed  me  for  a  long  time. 
Besides,  his  ship  may  sink." 

"He  shall  pay  you  the  four  guilders,  and  for  this 
attendance  also,"  replied  Philip,  in  a  rage ;  "  come  directly, 
while  you  are  disputing  my  mother  may  be  dead." 

"  But,  Mr  Philip,  I  cannot  come,  now  I  recollect  5  I 
have  to  see  the  child  of  the  burgomaster  at  Terneuse," 
replied  Mynheer  Poots. 

"Look  you,  Mynheer  Poots,"  exclaimed  Philip,  red 
with  passion;  "you  have  but  to  choose, — will  you  go 
quietly,  or  must  I  take  you  there  ?  You'll  not  trifle 
with  me." 

Here  Mynheer  Poots  was  under  considerable  alarm, 
for  the  character  of  Philip  Vanderdecken  was  well  known. 

**  I  will  come  by-and-bye.  Mynheer  Philip,  if  I  can." 

**  You'll  come  now,  you  wretched  old  miser,"  exclaimed 
Philip,  seizing  hold  of  the  little  man  by  the  collar,  and 
pulling  him  out  of  his  door. 

"  Murder  !  murder  !  "  cried  Poots,  as  he  lost  his  legs, 
and  was  dragged  along  by  the  impetuous  young  man. 


6  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  stopped,  for  he  perceived  that  Poots  was  black 
in  the  face. 

"  Must  I  then  choke  you,  to  make  you  go  quietly  ?  for, 
hear  me,  go  you  shall,  alive  or  dead." 

"Well,  then,"  replied  Poots,  recovering  himself,  "I 
will  go,  but  I'll  have  you  in  prison  to-night :  and,  as  for 
your  mother,  I'll  not — ^no,  that  I  will  not^ — Mynheer  Philip, 
depend  upon  it." 

"  Mark  me,  Mynheer  Poots,"  replied  Philip,  "  as  sure 
as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  if  you  do  not  come  with  me, 
I'll  choke  you  now ;  and  when  you  arrive,  if  you  do  not 
do  your  best  for  my  poor  mother,  I'll  murder  you  there. 
You  know  that  I  always  do  what  I  say,  so  now  take  my 
advice,  come  along  quietly,  and  you  shall  certainly  be  paid^ 
and  well  paid — if  I  sell  my  coat." 

This  last  observation  of  Philip,  perhaps,  had  more  effect 
than  even  his  threats.  Poots  was  a  miserable  little  atom, 
and  like  a  child  in  the  powerful  grasp  of  the  young  man. 
The  doctor's  tenement  was  isolated,  and  he  could  obtain 
no  assistance  until  within  a  hundred  yards  of  Vander- 
decken's  cottage ;  so  Mynheer  Poots  decided  that  he  would 
go,  first,  because  Philip  had  promised  to  pay  him,  and 
secondly,  because  he  could  not  help  it. 

This  point  being  settled,  Philip  and  Mynheer  Poots 
made  all  haste  to  the  cottage ;  and  on  their  arrival,  they 
found  his  mother  still  in  the  arms  of  two  of  her  female 
neighbours,  who  were  bathing  her  temples  with  vinegar. 
She  was  in  a  state  of  consciousness,  but  she  could  not 
speak.  Poots  ordered  her  to  be  carried  upstairs  and  put  to 
bed,  and  pouring  some  acids  down  her  throat,  hastened 
away  with  Philip  to  procure  the  necessary  remedies. 

"  You  will  give  your  mother  that  directly,  Mynheer 
Philip,"  said  Poots,  putting  a  phial  into  his  hand ;  "  I  will 
now  go  to  the  child  of  the  burgomaster,  and  will  after- 
wards come  back  to  your  cottage." 

"Don't  deceive  me,"  said  Philip,  with  a  threatening 
look. 

"  No,  no.  Mynheer  Philip,  I  would  not  trust  to  your 


The  Phantom  Ship  7 

uncle  Van  Brennen  for  payment,  but  you  have  promised, 
and  I  know  that  you  always  keep  your  word.  In  one 
hour  I  will  be  with  your  mother ;  but  you  yourself  must 
now  be  quick.** 

Philip  hastened  home.  After  the  potion  had  been 
administered,  the  bleeding  was  wholly  stopped ;  and  in 
half  an  hour,  his  mother  could  express  her  wishes  in  a 
whisper.  When  the  little  doctor  arrived,  he  carefully 
examined  his  patient,  and  then  went  downstairs  with  her 
son  into  the  kitchen. 

"  Mynheer  Philip,'*  said  Poots,  **  by  Allah !  I  have 
done  my  best,  but  I  must  tell  you  that  I  have  little  hopes 
of  your  mother  rising  from  her  bed  again.  She  may  live 
one  day  or  two  days,  but  not  more.  It  is  not  my  fault. 
Mynheer  Philip,'*  continued  Poots,  in  a  deprecating  tone. 

"  No,  no ;  it  is  the  will  of  Heaven,**  replied  Philip, 
mournfully. 

"And  you  will  pay  me.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  ? '* 
continued  the  doctor,  after  a  short  pause. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Philip  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  and 
starting  from  a  reverie.  After  a  moment's  silence,  the 
doctor  recommenced. 

"  Shall  I  come  to-morrow,  Mynheer  Philip  ?  You 
know  that  will  be  a  charge  of  another  guilder :  it  is  of  no 
use  to  throw  away  money  or  time  either." 

**  Come  to-morrow,  come  every  hour,  charge  what  you 
please  ;  you  shall  certainly  be  paid,"  replied  Philip,  curling 
his  lip  with  contempt. 

**  Well,  it  is  as  you  please.  As  soon  as  she  is  dead,  the 
cottage  and  the  furniture  will  be  yours,  and  you  will  sell 
them  of  course.  Yes,  I  will  come.  You  will  have  plenty 
of  money.  Mynheer  Philip,  I  would  like  the  first  offer  of 
the  cottage,  if  it  is  to  let." 

Philip  raised  his  arm  in  the  air  as  if  to  crush  Mynheer 
Poots,  who  retreated  to  the  corner. 

**I  did  not  mean  until  your  mother  was  buried,"  said 
Poots,  in  a  coaxing  tone. 

**  Go,  wretch,  go ! "  said  Philip,  covering  his  face  with 


8  The  Phantom  Ship 

his   hands,   as    he   sank    down   upon    the    blood-stained 
couch. 

After  a  short  interval,  Philip  Vanderdecken  returned  to 
the  bedside  of  his  mother,  whom  he  found  much  better  ; 
and  the  neighbours,  having  their  own  affairs  to  attend  to, 
left  them  alone.  Exhausted  with  the  loss  of  blood,  the 
poor  woman  slumbered  for  many  hours,  during  which  she 
never  let  go  the  hand  of  Philip,  who  watched  her  breathing 
in  mournful  meditation. 

It  was  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  the  widow 
awoke.  She  had  in  a  great  degree  recovered  her  voice, 
and  thus  she  addressed  her  son  : — 

**  My  dear,  my  impetuous  boy,  and  have  I  detained  you 
here  a  prisoner  so  long  ? " 

"  My  own  inclination  detained  me,  mother.  I  leave  you 
not  to  others  until  you  are  up  and  well  again." 

"That,  Philip,  I  shall  never  be.  I  feel  that  death 
claims  me;  and,  O,  my  son,  were  it  not  for  you,  how 
should  I  quit  this  world  rejoicing !  I  have  long  been 
dying,  Philip, — and  long,  long  have  I  prayed  for  death." 

"  And  why  so,  mother  ? "  replied  Philip,  bluntly ;  "Tve 
done  my  best." 

"  You  have,  my  child,  you  have :  and  may  God  bless 
you  for  it.  Often  have  I  seen  you  curb  your  fiery  temper 
— restrain  yourself  when  justified  in  wrath — to  spare  a 
mother's  feelings.  'Tis  now  some  days  that  even  hunger 
has  not  persuaded  you  to  disobey  your  mother.  And, 
Philip,  you  must  have  thought  me  mad  or  foolish  to  insist 
so  long,  and  yet  to  give  no  reason.  I'll  speak — again — 
directly." 

The  widow  turned  her  head  upon  the  pillow,  and 
remained  quiet  for  some  minutes ;  then,  as  if  revived,  she 
resumed : 

"I  believe  I  have  been  mad  at  times — have  I  not,  Philip  ? 
And  God  knows  I  have  had  a  secret  in  my  heart  enough 
to  drive  a  wife  to  frenzy.  It  has  oppressed  me  day  and 
night,  worn  my  mind,  impaired  my  reason,  and  now,  at 
last,  thank  Heaven !  it  has  overcome  this  mortal  frame : 


The  Phantom  Ship  9 

the  blow  is  struck,  Philip, — I'm  sure  it  is.  I  wait  but  to 
tell  you  all, — and  yet  I  would  not, — 'twill  turn  your  brain 
as  it  has  turned  mine,  Philip." 

"Mother,"  replied  Philip,  earnestly,  **I  conjure  you, 
let  me  hear  this  killing  secret.  Be  heaven  or  hell  mixed 
up  with  it,  I  fear  not.  Heaven  will  not  hurt  me,  and 
Satan  I  defy." 

**  I  know  thy  bold,  proud  spirit,  Philip, — thy  strength 
of  mind.  If  anyone  could  bear  the  load  of  such  a  dreadful 
tale,  thou  couldst.  My  brain,  alas  !  was  far  too  weak  for 
it ;  and  I  see  it  is  my  duty  to  tell  it  to  thee." 

The  widow  paused  as  her  thoughts  reverted  to  that 
which  she  had  to  confide;  for  a  few  minutes  the  tears 
rained  down  her  hollow  cheeks ;  she  then  appeared  to 
have  summoned  resolution,  and  to  have  regained  strength. 

**  Philip,  it  is  of  your  father  I  would  speak.  It  is 
supposed — that  he  was — drowned  at  sea." 

"And  was  he  not,  mother.?"  replied  Philip,  with 
surprise. 

«  O  no  ! " 

**  But  he  has  long  been  dead,  mother  ?  " 

"No, — yes, — and  yet — no,"  said  the  widow,  covering 
her  eyes. 

Her  brain  wanders,  thought  Philip,  but  he  spoke  again : 

"  Then  where  is  he,  mother  ?  " 

The  widow  raised  herself,  and  a  tremor  visibly  ran 
through  her  whole  frame,  as  she  replied — 

"  In  Living  Judgment." 

The  poor  woman  then  sank  down  again  upon  the  pillow, 
and  covered  her  head  with  the  bedclothes,  as  if  she  would 
have  hid  herself  from  her  own  memory.  Philip  was  so 
much  perplexed  and  astounded,  that  he  could  make  no 
reply.  A  silence  of  some  minutes  ensued,  when,  no 
longer  able  to  bear  the  agony  of  suspense,  Philip  faintly 
whispered — 

"  The  secret,  mother,  the  secret  5  quick,  let  me  hear  it." 

"  I  can  now  tell  all,  Philip,"  replied  his  mother,  in  a 
solemn  tone  of  voice.     "  Hear  me,  my  son.     Your  father's 


lo  The  Phantom  Ship 

disposition  was  but  too  like  your  own  ; — O  may  his  cruel 
fate  be  a  lesson  to  you,  my  dear,  dear  child  !  He  was  a 
bold,  a  daring,  and,  they  say,  a  first-rate  seaman.  He  was 
not  born  here,  but  in  Amsterdam  ;  but  he  would  not  live 
there,  because  he  still  adhered  to  the  Catholic  religion. 
The  Dutch,  you  know,  Philip,  are  heretics,  according  to 
our  creed.  It  is  now  seventeen  years  or  more  that  he 
sailed  for  India,  in  his  fine  ship  the  Amsterdantmer,  with  a 
valuable  cargo.  It  was  his  third  voyage  to  India,  Philip, 
and  it  was  to  have  been,  if  it  had  so  pleased  God,  his  last, 
for  he  had  purchased  that  good  ship  with  only  part  of  his 
earnings,  and  one  more  voyage  would  have  made  his 
fortune.  O  !  how  often  did  we  talk  over  what  we  would 
do  upon  his  return,  and  how  these  plans  for  the  future 
consoled  me  at  the  idea  of  his  absence,  for  I  loved  him 
dearly,  Philip, — he  was  always  good  and  kind  to  me ;  and 
after  he  had  sailed,  how  I  hoped  for  his  return  !  The  lot 
of  a  sailor's  wife  is  not  to  be  envied.  Alone  and  solitary 
for  so  many  months,  watching  the  long  wick  of  the  candle, 
and  listening  to  the  howling  of  the  wind — foreboding  evil 
and  accident — wreck  and  widowhood.  He  had  been  gone 
about  six  months,  Philip,  and  there  was  still  a  long  dreary 
year  to  wait  before  I  could  expect  him  back.  One  night, 
you,  my  child,  were  fast  asleep ;  you  were  my  only  solace 
— my  comfort  in  my  loneliness.  I  had  been  watching  over 
you  in  your  slumbers ;  you  smiled  and  half  pronounced 
the  name  of  mother ;  and  at  last  I  kissed  your  unconscious 
lips,  and  I  knelt  and  prayed — prayed  for  God's  blessing 
on  you,  my  child,  and  upon  him  too — little  thinking,  at 
the  time,  that  he  was  so  horribly,  so  fearfully  cursed." 

The  widow  paused  for  breath,  and  then  resumed* 
Philip  could  not  speak.  His  lips  were  sundered,  and  his 
eyes  riveted  upon  his  mother,  as  he  devoured  her  words. 

**  I  left  you  and  went  downstairs  into  that  room,  Philip, 
which  since  that  dreadful  night  has  never  been  re-opened. 
I  sate  me  down  and  read,  for  the  wind  was  strong,  and 
when  the  gale  blows,  a  sailor's  wife  can  seldom  sleep. 
It  was  past  midnight,  and  the  rain  poured  down.     I  felt 


The  Phantom  Ship  ii 

unusual  fear, — I  knew  not  why.  I  rose  from  the  couch 
and  dipped  my  finger  in  the  blessed  water,  and  I  crossed 
myself.  A  violent  gust  of  wind  roared  round  the  house, 
and  alarmed  me  still  more.  I  had  a  painful,  horrible  fore- 
boding; when,  of  a  sudden,  the  windows  and  window- 
shutters  were  all  blown  in,  the  light  was  extinguished, 
and  I  was  left  in  utter  darkness.  I  screamed  with  fright ; 
but  at  last  I  recovered  myself,  and  was  proceeding  towards 
the  window  that  I  might  reclose  it,  when  whom  should 
I  behold,  slowly  entering  at  the  casement,  but — your 
father, — Philip  ! — Yes,  Philip, — it  was  your  father  !  " 

"  Merciful  God ! "  muttered  Philip,  in  a  low  tone 
almost  subdued  into  a  whisper. 

"  I  knew  not  what  to  think,— he  was  in  the  room ; 
and  although  the  darkness  was  intense,  his  form  and 
features  were  as  clear  and  as  defined  as  if  it  were  noon- 
day. Fear  would  have  inclined  me  to  recoil  from, — his 
loved  presence  to  fly  towards  him.  I  remained  on  the 
spot  where  I  was,  choked  with  agonising  sensations. 
When  he  had  entered  the  room,  the  windows  and  shutters 
closed  of  themselves,  and  the  candle  was  relighted — then 
I  thought  it  was  his  apparition,  and  I  fainted  on  the 
floor. 

"  When  I  recovered  I  found  myself  on  the  couch,  and 
perceived  that  a  cold  (O  how  cold !)  and  dripping  hand 
was  clasped  in  mine.  This  reassured  me,  and  I  forgot  the 
supernatural  signs  which  accompanied  his  appearance. 
I  imagined  that  he  had  been  unfortunate,  and  had  returned 
home.  I  opened  my  eyes,  and  beheld  my  loved  husband 
and  threw  myself  into  his  arms.  His  clothes  were 
saturated  with  the  rain :  I  felt  as  if  I  had  embraced  ice- 
but  nothing  can  check  the  warmth  of  a  woman's  love, 
Philip.  He  received  my  caresses,  but  he  caressed  not 
again :  he  spoke  not,  but  looked  thoughtful  and  unhappy. 
*  William — ^William,'  cried  I !  *  speak,  Vanderdecken,  speak 
to  your  dear  Catherine.' 

"  *  I  will,'  replied  he,  solemnly,  *  for  my  time  is  short.' 

"  *  No,  no,  you  must  not  go  to  sea  again :   you  have 


12  The  Phantom  Ship 

lost   your   vessel,  but  you   are   safe.      Have   I  not   you 
again  ^ ' 


Ct    f 


Alas  1  no — be  not  alarmed,  but  listen,  for  my  time 
is  short.     I  have  not  lost  my  vessel,  Catherine,  but  i  have 

LOST ! !  !     Make  no  reply,  but  listen  5  I  am  not  dead, 

nor  yet  am  I  alive.     I  hover  between  this  world  and  the 
world  of  Spirits.     Mark  me. 

"  *  For  nine  weeks  did  I  try  to  force  my  passage  against 
the  elements  round  the  stormy  Cape,  but  without  success ; 
and  I  swore  terribly.  For  nine  weeks  more  did  I  carry 
sail  against  the  adverse  winds  and  currents,  and  yet 
could  gain  no  ground ;  and  then  I  blasphemed, — ay, 
terribly  blasphemed.  Yet  still  I  persevered.  The  crew, 
worn  out  with  long  fatigue,  would  have  had  me  return 
to  the  Table  Bay  ;  but  I  refused  ;  nay,  more,  I  became 
a  murderer, — unintentionally,  it  is  true,  but  still  a 
murderer.  The  pilot  opposed  me,  and  persuaded  the 
men  to  bind  me,  and  in  the  excess  of  my  fury,  when  he 
took  me  by  the  collar,  I  struck  at  him  -,  he  reeled ;  and, 
with  the  sudden  lurch  of  the  vessel,  he  fell  overboard, 
and  sank.  Even  this  fearful  death  did  not  restrain  me ; 
and  I  swore  by  the  fragment  of  the  Holy  Cross,  preserved 
in  that  relic  now  hanging  round  your  neck,  that  I  would 
gain  my  point  in  defiance  of  storm  and  seas,  of  lightning, 
of  heaven,  or  of  hell,  even  if  I  should  beat  about  until 
the  Day  of  Judgment. 

"  *  My  oath  was  registered  in  thunder,  and  in  streams  of 
sulphurous  fire.  The  hurricane  burst  upon  the  ship,  the 
canvas  flew  away  in  ribbons  ;  mountains  of  seas  swept  over 
us,  and  in  the  centre  of  a  deep  o'erhanging  cloud,  which 
shrouded  all  in  utter  darkness,  were  written  in  letters  of 
livid  flame,  these  words — Until  the  Day  of  Judgment. 

"  *  Listen  to  me,  Catherine,  my  time  is  short.  One  Hope 
alone  remains,  and  for  this  am  I  permitted  to  come  here. 
Take  this  letter.'  He  put  a  sealed  paper  on  the  table. 
*  Read  it,  Catherine,  dear,  and  try  if  you  can  assist  me. 
Read  it  and  now  farewell — my  time  is  come.* 

**  Again  the  window  and  window-shutters  burst  open — 


The  Phantom  Ship  13 

again  the  light  was  extinguished,  and  the  form  of  my 
husband  was,  as  it  were,  wafted  in  the  dark  expanse.  I 
started  up  and  followed  him  with  outstretched  arms  and 
frantic  screams  as  he  sailed  through  the  window; — my 
glaring  eyes  beheld  his  form  borne  away  like  lightning  on 
the  wings  of  the  wild  gale,  till  it  was  lost  as  a  speck  of 
light,  and  then  it  disappeared.  Again  the  windows  closed, 
the  light  burned,  and  I  was  left  alone  ! 

"  Heaven,  have  mercy  !  My  brain  ! — my  brain  ! — 
Philip  ! — ^Philip  !  "  shrieked  the  poor  woman  ;  "  don't  leave 
me — don't — don't — pray  don't !  " 

During  these  exclamations  the  frantic  widow  had  raised 
herself  from  the  bed,  and,  at  the  last,  had  fallen  into  the 
arms  of  her  son.  She  remained  there  some  minutes  with- 
out motion.  After  a  time  Philip  felt  alarmed  at  her  long 
quiescence ;  he  laid  her  gently  down  upon  the  bed,  and  as 
he  did  so  her  head  fell  back — her  eyes  were  turned — the 
widow  Vanderdecken  was  no  more. 


Chapter    II 

Philip  Vanderdecken,  strong  as  he  was  in  mental 
courage,  was  almost  paralysed  by  the  shock  when  he 
discovered  that  his  mother's  spirit  had  fled ;  and  for  some 
time  he  remained  by  the  side  of  the  bed  with  his  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  corpse,  and  his  mind  in  a  state  of  vacuity. 
Gradually  he  recovered  himself;  he  rose,  smoothed  dowa 
the  pillow,  closed  her  eyelids,  and  then  clasping  his  hands, 
the  tears  trickled  down  his  manly  cheeks.  He  impressed 
a  solemn  kiss  upon  the  pale  white  forehead  of  the  departed,, 
and  drew  the  curtains  round  the  bed. 

"  Poor  mother !  "  said  he,  sorrowfully,  as  he  completed 
his  task,  "  at  length  thou  hast  found  rest, — but  thou  hast 
left  thy  son  a  bitter  legacy." 

And  as  Philip's  thoughts  reverted  to  what  had  passed, 
the   dreadful   narrative   whirled   in   his    imagination   and 


14  The  Phantom  Ship 

scathed  his  brain.  He  raised  his  hands  to  his  temples, 
compressed  them  with  force,  and  tried  to  collect  his 
thoughts,  that  he  might  decide  upon  what  measures  he 
should  take.  He  felt  that  he  had  no  time  to  indulge  his 
grief.  His  mother  was  in  peace :  but  his  father — ^where 
was  he  ? 

He  recalled  his  mother's  words — "One  hope  alone 
remained."  Then  there  was  hope.  His  father  had  laid  a 
paper  on  the  table — could  it  be  there  now  ?  Yes,  it  must 
bej  his  mother  had  not  had  the  courage  to  take  it  up. 
There  was  hope  in  that  paper,  and  it  had  lain  unopened  for 
more  than  seventeen  years. 

Philip  Vanderdecken  resolved  that  he  would  examine  the 
fatal  chamber — at  once  he  would  know  the  worst.  Should 
he  do  it  now,  or  wait  till  daylight  ? — but  the  key,  where 
was  it  ?  His  eyes  rested  upon  an  old  japanned  cabinet  in 
the  room:  he  had  never  seen  his  mother  open  it  in  his 
presence :  it  was  the  only  likely  place  of  concealment  that 
he  was  aware  of.  Prompt  in  all  his  decisions,  he  took  up 
the  candle,  and  proceeded  to  examine  it.  It  was  not 
locked ;  the  doors  swung  open,  and  drawer  after  drawer 
was  examined,  but  Philip  discovered  not  the  object  of  his 
search ;  again  and  again  did  he  open  the  drawers,  but  they 
were  all  empty.  It  occurred  to  Philip  that  there  might  be 
secret  drawers,  and  he  examined  for  some  time  in  vain. 
At  last  he  took  out  all  the  drawers,  and  laid  them  on  the 
floor,  and  lifting  the  cabinet  off  its  stand  he  shook  it.  A 
rattling  sound  in  one  corner  told  him  that  in  all  probability 
the  key  was  there  concealed.  He  renewed  his  attempts  to 
discover  how  to  gain  it,  but  in  vain.  Daylight  now  streamed 
through  the  casements,  and  Philip  had  not  desisted  from 
his  attempts :  at  last,  wearied  out,  he  resolved  to  force  the 
back  panel  of  the  cabinet  j  he  descended  to  the  kitchen, 
and  returned  with  a  small  chopping-knife  and  hammer,  and 
was  on  his  knees  busily  employed  forcing  out  the  panel, 
when  a  hand  was  placed  upon  his  shoulder. 

Philip  started  j  he  had  been  so  occupied  with  his  search 
and  his  wild  chasing  thoughts,  that  he  had  not  heard  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  15 

sound  of  an  approaching  footstep.  He  looked  up  and 
beheld  the  Father  Seysen,  the  priest  of  the  little  parish, 
with  his  eyes  sternly  fixed  upon  him.  The  good  man 
had  been  informed  of  the  dangerous  state  of  the  widow 
Vanderdecken,  and  had  risen  at  daylight  to  visit  and 
afford  her  spiritual  comfort. 

"  How  now,  my  son,"  said  the  priest :  "  fearest  thou 
not  to  disturb  thy  mother's  rest  ?  and  wouldst  thou  pilfer 
and  purloin  even  before  she  is  in  her  grave  ?  " 

*'  I  fear  not  to  disturb  my  mother's  rest,  good  father," 
rephed  Philip,  rising  on  his  feet,  "  for  she  now  rests  with 
the  blessed.  Neither  do  I  pilfer  or  purloin.  It  is  not 
gold  I  seek,  although  if  gold  there  were,  that  gold  would 
now  be  mine.  I  seek  but  a  key,  long  hidden,  I  believe, 
within  this  secret  drawer,  the  opening  of  which  is  a 
mystery  beyond  my  art." 

"  Thy  mother  is  no  more,  sayest  thou,  my  son  ^  and 
dead  without  receiving  the  rites  of  our  most  holy  church  ! 
Why  didst  thou  not  send  for  me  ?  " 

"  She  died,  good  father,  suddenly — most  suddenly,  in 
these  arms,  about  two  hours  ago.  I  fear  not  for  her 
soul,  although  I  can  but  grieve  you  were  not  at  her 
side." 

The  priest  gently  opened  the  curtains,  and  looked  upon 
the  corpse.  He  sprinkled  holy  water  on  the  bed,  and 
for  a  short  time  his  lips  were  seen  to  move  in  silent 
prayer.     He  then  turned  round  to  Philip. 

"  "Why  do  I  see  thee  thus  employed  ?  and  why  so 
anxious  to  obtain  that  key  ?  A  mother's  death  should 
call  forth  filial  tears  and  prayers  for  her  repose.  Yet 
are  thine  eyes  dry,  and  thou  art  employed  upon  an  in- 
different search  while  yet  the  tenement  is  warm  which 
but  now  held  her  spirit.  This  is  not  seemly,  Philip. 
What  is  the  key  thou  seekest  ? " 

"  Father,  I  have  no  time  for  tears — no  time  to  spare 
for  grief  or  lamentation.  I  have  much  to  do  and  more 
to  think  of  than  thought  can  well  embrace.  That  I  loved 
my  mother,  you  know  well." 


1 6  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  But  the  key  thou  seekest,  Philip  ?  " 

**  Father,  it  is  the  key  of  a  chamber  which  has  not  been 
unlocked  for  years,  which  I  must  —  will  open ;  even 
if " 

"If  what,  my  son ? " 

"I  was  about  to  say  what  I  should  not  have  said. 
Forgive  me.  Father  5  I  meant  that  I  must  search  that 
chamber." 

"  I  have  long  heard  of  that  same  chamber  being  closed  ; 
and  that  thy  mother  would  not  explain  wherefore,  I  know 
well,  for  I  have  asked  her,  and  have  been  denied.  Nay, 
when,  as  in  duty  bound,  I  pressed  the  question,  I  found 
her  reason  was  disordered  by  my  importunity,  and  there- 
fore I  abandoned  the  attempt.  Some  heavy  weight  was 
on  thy  mother's  mind,  my  son,  yet  would  she  never  con- 
fess or  trust  it  with  me.  Tell  me,  before  she  died,  hadst 
thou  this  secret  from  her  ? " 

"  I  had,  most  holy  father." 

"  Wouldst  thou  not  feel  comfort  if  thou  didst  confide 
to  me,  my  son  ?     I  might  advise — assist " 

"  Father,  I  would  indeed — I  could  confide  it  to  thee, 
and  ask  for  thy  assistance — I  know  'tis  not  from  curious 
feeling  thou  wouldst  have  it,  but  from  a  better  motive. 
But  of  that  which  has  been  told  it  is  not  yet  manifest — 
whether  it  is  as  my  poor  mother  says,  or  but  the  phantom 
of  a  heated  brain.  Should  it  indeed  be  true,  fain  would 
I  share  the  burthen  with  you — yet  little  you  might  thank 
me  for  the  heavy  load.  But  no — at  least  not  now — it 
must  not,  cannot  be  revealed.  I  must  do  my  work — 
enter  that  hated  room  alone." 

**  Fearest  thou  not  ?  " 

**  Father,  I  fear  nothing.  I  have  a  duty  to  perform — 
a  dreadful  one,  I  grant ;  but  I  pray  thee,  ask  no  more ; 
for,  like  my  poor  mother,  I  feel  as  if  the  probing  of 
the  wound  would  half  unseat  my  reason." 

"  I  will  not  press  thee  further,  Philip.  The  time  may 
come  when  I  may  prove  of  service.  Farewell,  my  child ; 
but  I  pray  thee  to  discontinue  thy  unseemly  labour,  for  I 


The  Phantom  Ship  17 

must   send  in  the  neighbours  to   perform  the   duties  to 
thy  departed  mother,  whose  soul  I  trust  is  with  its  God." 

The  priest  looked  at  Philip ;  he  perceived  that  his 
thoughts  were  elsewhere ;  there  was  a  vacancy  and 
appearance  of  mental  stupefaction,  and  as  he  turned  away, 
the  good  man  shook  his  head. 

"  He  is  right,"  thought  Philip,  when  once  more  alone  ; 
and  he  took  up  the  cabinet,  and  placed  it  upon  the  stand. 
"  A  few  hours  more  can  make  no  difference :  I  will  lay 
me  down,  for  my  head  is  giddy." 

Philip  went  into  the  adjoining  room,  threw  himself 
upon  his  bed,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  in  a  sleep  as 
sound  as  that  permitted  to  the  wretch  a  few  hours  previous 
to  his  execution. 

During  his  slumbers  the  neighbours  had  come  in,  and 
had  prepared  everything  for  the  widow's  interment.  They 
had  been  careful  not  to  wake  the  son,  for  they  held  as 
sacred  the  sleep  of  those  who  must  wake  up  to  sorrow. 
Among  others,  soon  after  the  hour  of  noon  arrived 
Mynheer  Poots  ;  he  had  been  informed  of  the  death  of  the 
widow,  but  having  a  spare  hour,  he  thought  he  might  as 
well  call,  as  it  would  raise  his  charges  by  another  guilder. 
He  first  went  into  the  room  where  the  body  lay,  and  from 
thence  he  proceeded  to  the  chamber  of  Philip,  and  shook 
him  by  the  shoulder. 

Philip  awoke,  and,  sitting  up,  perceived  the  doctor 
standing  by  him. 

"Well,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,"  commenced  the  un- 
feeling little  man,  "  so  it's  all  over.  I  knew  it  would  be 
so,  and  recollect  you  owe  me  now  another  guilder,  and 
you  promised  faithfully  to  pay  me;  altogether,  with  the 
potion,  it  will  be  three  guilders  and  a  half — that  is,  pro- 
vided you  return  my  phial." 

Philip,  who  at  first  waking  was  confused,  gradually 
recovered  his  senses  during  this  address. 

"  You  shall  have  your  three  guilders  and  a  half,  and 
your  phial  to  boot,  Mr  Poots,"  replied  he,  as  he  rose  from 
off  the  bed. 

p.s.  B 


1 8  The  Phantom  Ship 

**  Yes,  yes ;  I  know  you  mean  to  pay  me — if  you  can. 
But  look  you,  Mynheer  Philip,  it  may  be  some  time  before 
you  sell  the  cottage.  You  may  not  find  a  customer. 
Now,  I  never  wish  to  be  hard  upon  people  who  have  no 
money,  and  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  There  is  a  something 
on  your  mother's  neck.  It  is  of  no  value,  none  at  all,  but 
to  a  good  Catholic.  To  help  you  in  your  strait,  I  will 
take  that  thing,  and  then  we  shall  be  quits.  You  will 
have  paid  me,  and  there  will  be  an  end  of  it." 

Philip  listened  calmly :  he  knew  to  what  the  little  miser 
had  referred, — the  relic  on  his  mother's  neck — that  very 
relic  upon  which  his  father  swore  the  fatal  oath.  He  felt 
that  millions  of  guilders  would  not  have  induced  him  to 
part  with  it. 

"Leave  the  house,"  answered  he  abruptly.  "Leave  it 
immediately.     Your  money  shall  be  paid." 

Now,  Mynheer  Poots,  in  the  first  place,  knew  that 
the  setting  of  the  relic,  which  was  in  a  square  frame  of 
pure  gold,  was  worth  much  more  than  the  sum  due  to  him : 
he  also  knew  that  a  large  price  had  been  paid  for  the  relic 
itself,  and  as  at  that  time  such  a  relic  was  considered  very 
valuable,  he  had  no  doubt  but  that  it  would  again  fetch  a 
considerable  sum.  Tempted  by  the  sight  of  it  when  he 
entered  the  chamber  of  death,  he  had  taken  it  from  the 
neck  of  the  corpse,  and  it  was  then  actually  concealed  in 
his  bosom,  so  he  replied — 

"  My  offer  is  a  good  one.  Mynheer  Philip,  and  you  had 
better  take  it.     Of  what  use  is  such  trash  ? " 

"  I  tell  you,  no,"  cried  Philip,  in  a  rage. 

"Well,  then,  you  will  let  me  have  it  in  my  possession 
till  I  am  paid.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken — that  is  but  fair. 
I  must  not  lose  my  money.  When  you  bring  me  my  three 
guilders  and  a  half  and  the  phial,  I  will  return  it  to  you." 

Philip's  indignation  was  now  without  bounds.  He 
seized  Mynheer  Poots  by  the  collar,  and  threw  him  out  of 
the  door.     "  Away  immediately,"  cried  he,  "  or  by " 

There  was  no  occasion  for  Philip  to  finish  the  impreca- 
tion.    The  doctor  had  hastened  away  with   such   alarm. 


The  Phantom  Ship  19 

that  he  fell  down  half  the  steps  of  the  staircase,  and  was 
limping  away  across  the  bridge.  He  almost  wished  that 
the  relic  had  not  been  in  his  possession  j  but  his  sudden 
retreat  had  prevented  him,  even  if  so  inclined,  from  re- 
placing it  on  the  corpse. 

The  result  of  this  conversation  naturally  turned  Philip's 
thoughts  to  the  relic,  and  he  went  into  his  mother's  room 
to  take  possession  of  it.  He  opened  the  curtains — the 
corpse  was  laid  out — he  put  forth  his  hand  to  untie  the 
black  ribbon.  It  was  not  there.  "  Gone ! "  exclaimed 
Philip.     *^  They   hardly   would    have   removed  it — never 

would .     It  must  be  that  villain  Poots — wretch  ;  but  I 

will  have  it,  even  if  he  has  swallowed  it,  though  I  tear 
him  limb  from  limb  !  " 

Philip  darted  down  the  stairs,  rushed  out  of  the  house, 
cleared  the  moat  at  one  bound,  and  without  coat  or  hat, 
flew  away  in  the  direction  of  the  doctor's  lonely  residence. 
The  neighbours  saw  him  as  he  passed  them  like  the  wind ; 
they  wondered,  and  they  shook  their  heads.  Mynheer 
Poots  was  not  more  than  half-way  to  his  home,  for  he  had 
hurt  his  ankle.  Apprehensive  of  what  might  possibly  take 
place  should  his  theft  be  discovered,  he  occasionally  looked 
behind  him ;  at  length,  to  his  horror,  he  beheld  Philip 
Vanderdecken  at  a  distance  bounding  on  in  pursuit  of  him. 
Frightened  almost  out  of  his  senses,  the  wretched  pilferer 
hardly  knew  how  to  act ;  to  stop  and  surrender  up  the 
stolen  property  was  his  first  thought,  but  fear  of  Vander- 
decken's  violence  prevented  him ;  so  he  decided  on  taking 
to  his  heels,  thus  hoping  to  gain  his  house,  and  barricade 
himself  in,  by  which  means  he  would  be  in  a  condition  to 
keep  possession  of  what  he  had  stolen,  or  at  least  make 
some  terms  ere  he  restored  it. 

Mynheer  Poots  had  need  to  run  fast,  and  so  he  did  ; 
his  thin  legs  bearing  his  shrivelled  form  rapidly  over  the 
ground  ;  but  Philip,  who,  when  he  witnessed  the  doctor's 
attempt  to  escape,  was  fully  convinced  that  he  was  the 
culprit,  redoubled  his  exertions,  and  rapidly  came  up  with 
the  chase.    When  within  a  hundred  yards  of  his  own  door. 


7.0  The  Phantom  Ship 

Mynheer  Foots  heard  the  bounding  step  of  Philip  gain 
upon  him,  and  he  sprang  and  leaped  in  his  agony.  Nearer 
and  nearer  still  the  step,  until  at  last  he  heard  the  very 
breathing  of  his  pursuer,  and  Poots  shrieked  in  his  fear, 
like  the  hare  in  the  jaws  of  the  greyhound.  Philip  was 
not  a  yard  from  him  ;  his  arm  was  outstretched,  when  the 
miscreant  dropped  down  paralysed  with  terror,  and  the 
impetus  of  Vanderdecken  was  so  great  that  he  passed  over 
his  body,  tripped,  and  after  trying  in  vain  to  recover  his 
equilibrium,  he  fell  and  rolled  over  and  over.  This  saved 
the  little  doctor  ;  it  was  like  the  double  of  a  hare.  In  a 
second  he  was  again  on  his  legs,  and  before  Philip  could 
rise  and  again  exert  his  speed,  Poots  had  entered  his  door 
and  bolted  it  within.  Philip  was,  however,  determined  to 
repossess  the  important  treasure  ;  and  as  he  panted,  he 
cast  his  eyes  around,  to  see  if  any  means  offered  for  his 
forcing  his  entrance  into  the  house.  But  as  the  habitation 
of  the  doctor  was  lonely,  every  precaution  had  been  taken 
by  him  to  render  it  secure  against  robbery ;  the  windows 
below  were  well  barricaded  and  secured,  and  those  on  the 
upper  story  were  too  high  for  anyone  to  obtain  admittance 
by  them. 

We  must  here  observe,  that  although  Mynheer  Poots 
was,  from  his  known  abilities,  in  good  practice,  his  reputa- 
tion as  a  hard-hearted,  unfeeling  miser  was  well  established. 
No  one  was  ever  permitted  to  enter  his  threshold,  nor, 
indeed,  did  any  one  feel  inclined.  He  was  as  isolated  from 
his  fellow-creatures  as  was  his  tenement,  and  was  only  to 
be  seen  in  the  chamber  of  disease  and  death.  "What  his 
establishment  consisted  of  no  one  knew.  When  he  first 
settled  in  the  neighbourhood,  an  old  decrepit  woman  occa- 
sionally answered  the  knocks  given  at  the  door  by  those 
who  required  the  doctor's  services  ;  but  she  had  been 
buried  some  time,  and,  ever  since,  all  calls  at  the  door  had 
been  answered  by  Mynheer  Poots  in  person,  if  he  were  at 
home,  and  if  not,  there  was  no  reply  to  the  most  impor- 
tunate summons.  It  was  then  surmised  that  the  old  man 
lived  entirely  by  himself,  being  too  niggardly  to  pay  for 


The  Phantom  Ship  21 

any  assistance.  This  Philip  also  imagined  ;  and  as  soon 
as  he  had  recovered  his  breath,  he  began  to  devise 
some  scheme  by  which  he  would  be  enabled  not  only  to 
recover  the  stolen  property,  but  also  to  wreak  a  dire 
Tevenge. 

The  door  was  strong,  and  not  to  be  forced  by  any 
means  which  presented  themselves  to  the  eye  of  Vander- 
decken.  For  a  few  minutes  he  paused  to  consider,  and  as 
he  reflected,  so  did  his  anger  cool  down,  and  he  decided 
that  it  would  be  sufficient  to  recover  his  relic  without 
having  recourse  to  violence.  So  he  called  out  in  a  loud 
voice  : — 

**  Mynheer  Poots,  I  know  that  you  can  hear  me.  Give 
me  back  what  you  have  taken,  and  I  will  do  you  no  hurt ; 
but  if  you  will  not,  you  must  take  the  consequence,  for 
your  life  shall  pay  the  forfeit  before  I  leave  this  spot." 

This  speech  was  indeed  very  plainly  heard  by  Mynheer 
Poots,  but  the  little  miser  had  recovered  from  his  fright, 
and,  thinking  himself  secure,  could  not  make  up  his  mind 
to  surrender  the  relic  without  a  struggle  ;  so  the  doctor 
answered  not,  hoping  that  the  patience  of  Philip  would  be 
exhausted,  and  that  by  some  arrangement,  such  as  the 
sacrifice  of  a  few  guilders,  no  small  matter  to  one  so  needy 
as  Philip,  he  would  be  able  to  secure  what  he  was  satisfied 
would  sell  at  a  high  price. 

Vanderdecken,  finding  that  no  answer  was  returned, 
indulged  in  strong  invective,  and  then  decided  upon 
measures  certainly  in  themselves  by  no  means  undecided. 

There  was  part  of  a  small  stack  of  dry  fodder  standing 
not  far  from  the  house,  and  under  the  wall  a  pile  of 
wood  for  firing.  With  these  Vanderdecken  resolved  upon 
setting  fire  to  the  house,  and  thus,  if  he  did  not  gain  his 
relic,  he  would  at  least  obtain  ample  revenge.  He  brought 
several  armfuls  of  fodder  and  laid  them  at  the  door  of  the 
house,  and  upon  that  he  piled  the  fagots  and  logs  of 
wood,  until  the  door  was  quite  concealed  by  them.  He 
then  procured  a  light  from  the  steel,  flint,  and  tinder, 
which  every  Dutchman  carries  in  his  pocket,  and  very  soon 


22  The  Phantom  Ship 

he  had  fanned  the  pile  into  a  flame.  The  smoke  ascended 
in  columns  up  to  the  rafters  of  the  roof  while  the  fire 
raged  below.  The  door  was  ignited,  and  was  adding  to 
the  fury  of  the  flames,  and  Philip  shouted  with  joy  at  the 
success  of  his  attempt. 

"Now,  miserable  despoiler  of  the  dead — now,  wretched 
thief,  now  you  shall  feel  my  vengeance,"  cried  Philip,  with 
a  loud  voice.  "  If  you  remain  within,  you  perish  in  the 
flames  ;  if  you  attempt  to  come  out  you  shall  die  by  my 
hands.     Do  you  hear.  Mynheer  Poots — do  you  hear  ?  " 

Hardly  had  Philip  concluded  this  address  when  the 
window  of  the  upper  floor  furthest  from  the  burning  door 
was  thrown  open. 

"  Ay, — you  come  now  to  beg  and  to  entreat ;  but  no — 
no,"  cried  Philip — who  stopped  as  he  beheld  at  the  window 
what  seemed  to  be  an  apparition,  for,  instead  of  the 
wretched  little  miser,  he  beheld  one  of  the  loveliest  forms 
Nature  ever  deigned  to  mould — an  angelic  creature,  of 
about  sixteen  or  seventeen,  who  appeared  calm  and  resolute 
in  the  midst  of  the  danger  by  which  she  was  threatened. 
Her  long  black  hair  was  braided  and  twined  round  her 
beautifully-formed  head  ;  her  eyes  were  large,  intensely 
dark,  yet  soft ;  her  forehead  high  and  white,  her  chin 
dimpled,  her  ruby  lips  arched  and  delicately  fine,  her  nose 
small  and  straight.  A  lovelier  face  could  not  be  well 
imagined  ;  it  reminded  you  of  what  the  best  of  painters 
have  sometimes,  in  their  more  fortunate  moments,  succeeded 
in  embodying,  when  they  would  represent  a  beauteous 
saint.  And  as  the  flames  wreathed  and  the  smoke  burst 
out  in  columns  and  swept  past  the  window,  so  might  she 
have  reminded  you  in  her  calmness  of  demeanour  of  some 
martyr  at  the  stake. 

"  What  wouldst  thou,  violent  young  man  ?  Why  are 
the  inmates  of  this  house  to  suffer  death  by  your  means  ? " 
said  the  maiden,  with  composure. 

For  a  few  seconds  Philip  gazed,  and  could  make  no  reply ; 
then  the  thought  seized  him  that,  in  his  vengeance,  he 
was  about  to  sacrifice   so  much  loveliness.       He  forgot 


The  Phantom  Ship  23 

everything  but  her  danger,  and  seizing  one  of  the  large 
poles  which  he  had  brought  to  feed  the  flame,  he  threw 
off  and  scattered  in  every  direction  the  burning  masses, 
until  nothing  was  left  which  could  hurt  the  building  but 
the  ignited  door  itself  ;  and  this,  which  as  yet — for  it  was 
of  thick  oak  plank — had  not  suffered  very  material  injury, 
he  soon  reduced,  by  beating  it,  with  clods  of  earth,  to  a 
smoking  and  harmless  state.  During  these  active  measures 
on  the  part  of  Philip,  the  young  maiden  watched  him  in 
silence. 

"  All  is  safe  now,  young  lady,"  said  Philip.  "  God 
forgive  me  that  I  should  have  risked  a  life  so  precious.  I 
thought  but  to  wreak  my  vengeance  upon  Mynheer  Poots." 

"  And  what  cause  can  Mynheer  Poots  have  given  for 
such  dreadful  vengeance  ?  "  replied  the  maiden  calmly. 

"  What  cause,  young  lady  ?  He  came  to  my  house — 
despoiled  the  dead — took  from  my  mother's  corpse  a  relic 
beyond  price." 

"Despoiled  the  dead!— he  surely  cannot — you  must 
wrong  him,  young  sir." 

"  No,  no.  It  is  the  fact,  lady, — and  that  relic — forgive 
me — but  that  relic  I  must  have.  You  know  not  what 
depends  upon  it." 

"  Wait,  young  sir,"  replied  the  maiden ;  **  I  will  soon 
return." 

Philip  waited  several  minutes,  lost  in  thought  and  admira- 
tion :  so  fair  a  creature  in  the  house  of  Mynheer  Poots ! 
Who  could  she  be  ?  While  thus  ruminating,  he  was 
accosted  by  the  silver  voice  of  the  object  of  his  reveries, 
who,  leaning  out  of  the  window,  held  in  her  hand  the 
black  ribbon  to  which  was  attached  the  article  so  dearly 
coveted. 

"Here  is  your  relic,  sir,"  said  the  young  female;  "I 
regret  much  that  my  father  should  have  done  a  deed  which 
well  might  justify  your  anger  :  but  here  it  is,"  continued  she, 
dropping  it  down  on  the  ground  by  Phihp  ;  "  and  now  you 
may  depart." 

"Your  father,  maiden!  can  he  be  your  father?  ^^  said 


24  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip,  forgetting  to  take  up  the  relic  which  lay  at  his 
feet. 

She  would  have  retired  from  the  window  without  reply, 
but  Philip  spoke  again — 

"  Stop,  lady,  stop  one  moment,  until  I  beg  your  forgive- 
ness for  my  wild,  foolish  act.  I  swear  by  this  sacred  relic," 
continued  he,  taking  it  from  the  ground  and  raising  it  to  his 
lips,  **  that  had  I  known  that  any  unoffending  person  had 
been  in  this  house,  I  would  not  have  done  the  deed,  and 
much  do  I  rejoice  that  no  harm  hath  happened.  But  there 
is  still  danger,  lady ;  the  door  must  be  unbarred,  and  the 
jambs,  which  still  are  glowing,  be  extinguished,  or  the 
house  may  yet  be  burnt.  Fear  not  for  your  father,  maiden, 
for  had  he  done  me  a  thousand  times  more  wrong,  you 
will  protect  each  hair  upon  his  head.  He  knows  me  well 
enough  to  know  I  keep  my  word.  Allow  me  to  repair 
the  injury  I  have  occasioned,  and  then  I  will  depart." 

"No,  no-,  don't  trust  him,"  said  Mynheer  Poots,  from 
within  the  chamber. 

"  Yes,  he  may  be  trusted,"  replied  the  daughter ; 
"and  his  services  are  much  needed,  for  what  could  a 
poor  weak  girl  like  me,  and  a  still  weaker  father,  do 
in  this  strait  ?  Open  the  door,  and  let  the  house  be 
made  secure."  The  maiden  then  addressed  Philip — 
"He  shall  open  the  door,  sir,  and  I  will  thank  you 
for  your  kind  service.     I  trust  entirely  to  your  promise." 

"  I  never  yet  was  known  to  break  my  word,  maiden," 
replied  Philip ;  "  but  let  him  be  quick,  for  the  flames 
are  bursting  out  again." 

The  door  was  opened  by  the  trembling  hands  of 
Mynheer  Poots,  who  then  made  a  hasty  retreat  upstairs. 
The  truth  of  what  Philip  had  said  was  then  apparent. 
Many  were  the  buckets  of  water  which  he  was  obliged 
to  fetch  before  the  fire  was  subdued ;  but  during  his 
exertions  neither  the  daughter  nor  the  father  made  their 
appearance. 

When  all  was  safe,  Philip  closed  the  door,  and  again 
looked  up  at  the  window.     The  fair  girl  made  her  appear- 


The  Phantom  Ship  25 

ance,  and  Philip,  with  a  low  obeisance,  assured  her  that 
there  was  then  no  danger. 

**I  thank  you,  sir,"  replied  she — **I  thank  you  much. 
Your  conduct,  although  hasty  at  first,  has  yet  been  most 
considerate." 

"  Assure  your  father,  maiden,  that  all  animosity  on  my 
part  hath  ceased,  and  that  in  a  few  days  I  will  call  and 
satisfy  the  demand  he  hath  against  me." 

The  window  closed,  and  Philip,  more  excited,  but  with 
feelings  altogether  different  from  those  with  which  he 
had  set  out,  looked  at  it  for  a  minute,  and  then  bent  his 
steps  to  his  own  cottage. 


Chapter    III 

The  discovery  of  the  beautiful  daughter  of  Mynheer 
Poots  had  made  a  strong  impression  upon  Philip  Van- 
derdecken,  and  now  he  had  another  excitement  to  combine 
with  those  which  already  overcharged  his  bosom.  He 
arrived  at  his  own  house,  went  upstairs,  and  threw  him- 
self on  the  bed  from  which  he  had  been  roused  by 
Mynheer  Poots.  At  first,  he  recalled  to  his  mind  the 
scene  we  have  just  described,  painted  in  his  imagination 
the  portrait  of  the  fair  girl,  her  eyes,  her  expression, 
her  silver  voice,  and  the  words  which  she  had  uttered; 
but  her  pleasing  image  was  soon  chased  away  by  the 
recollection  that  his  mother's  corpse  lay  in  the  adjoining 
chamber,  and  that  his  father's  secret  was  hidden  in  the 
room  below. 

The  funeral  was  to  take  place  the  next  morning,  and 
Philip,  who,  since  his  meeting  with  the  daughter  of 
Mynheer  Poots,  appeared  even  to  himself  not  so  anxious 
for  immediate  examination  of  the  room,  resolved  that 
he  would  not  open  it  until  after  the  melancholy  ceremony. 
With  this  resolution  he  fell  asleep ;  and  exhausted  with 
bodily  and  mental  excitement,  he  did  not  wake  until  the 


26  The  Phantom  Ship 

next  morning,  when  he  was  summoned  by  the  priest  to 
assist  at  the  funeral  rites.  In  an  hour  all  was  over ;  the 
crowd  dispersed,  and  Philip,  returning  to  the  cottage, 
bolted  the  door  that  he  might  not  be  interrupted,  and 
felt  happy  that  he  was  alone. 

There  is  a  feeling  in  our  nature  which  will  arise  when 
we  again  find  ourselves  in  the  tenement  where  death  has 
been,  and  all  traces  of  it  have  been  removed.  It  is  a 
feeling  of  satisfaction  and  relief  at  having  rid  ourselves 
of  the  memento  of  mortality,  the  silent  evidence  of  the 
futility  of  our  pursuits  and  anticipations.  We  know 
that  we  must  one  day  die,  but  we  always  wish  to  forget 
it.  The  continual  remembrance  would  be  too  great  a 
check  upon  our  mundane  desires  and  wishes  ;  and  although 
we  are  told  that  we  ever  should  have  futurity  in  our 
thoughts,  we  find  that  life  is  not  to  be  enjoyed  if  we 
are  not  permitted  occasional  forgetfulness.  For  who 
would  plan  what  rarely  he  is  permitted  to  execute,  if 
each  moment  of  the  day  he  thought  of  death  ?  We  either 
hope  that  we  may  live  longer  than  others,  or  we  forget 
that  we  may  not. 

If  this  buoyant  feeling  had  not  been  planted  in  our 
nature,  how  little  would  the  world  have  been  improved 
even  from  the  deluge  I  Philip  walked  into  the  room 
where  his  mother  had  lain  one  short  hour  before,  and 
unwittingly  felt  relief.  Taking  down  the  cabinet,  he 
now  recommenced  his  task;  the  back  panel  was  soon 
removed,  and  a  secret  drawer  discovered;  he  drew  it 
out,  and  it  contained  what  he  presumed  to  be  the  object 
of  his  search, — a  large  key  with  a  slight  coat  of  rust 
upon  it,  which  came  off  upon  its  being  handled.  Under 
the  key  was  a  paper,  the  writing  on  which  was  somewhat 
discoloured ;  it  was  in  his  mother's  hand,  and  ran  as 
follows : — 

"  It  is  now  two  nights  since  a  horrible  event  took  place 
which  has  induced  me  to  close  the  lower  chamber,  and  my 
brain  is  still  bursting  with  terror.  Should  I  not,  during 
my  lifetime,  reveal  what  occurred,  still  this  key  will  be 


The  Phantom  Ship  27 

required,  as  at  my  death  the  room  will  be  opened.  When 
I  rushed  from  it  I  hastened  upstairs,  and  remained  that 
night  with  my  child;  the  next  morning  I  summoned  up 
sufficient  courage  to  go  down,  turn  the  key,  and  bring  it 
up  into  my  chamber.  It  is  now  closed  till  I  close  my  eyes 
in  death.  No  privation,  no  sufFering,  shall  induce  me  to 
open  it,  although  in  the  iron  cupboard  under  the  buffet 
farthest  from  the  window,  there  is  money  sufficient  for  all 
my  wants  ;  that  money  will  remain  there  for  my  child,  to 
whom,  if  I  do  not  impart  the  fatal  secret,  he  must  be 
satisfied  that  it  is  one  which  it  were  better  should  be 
concealed, — one  so  horrible  as  to  induce  me  to  take  the 
steps  which  I  now  do.  The  keys  of  the  cupboards  and 
buffets  were,  I  think,  lying  on  the  table,  or  in  my  work- 
box,  when  I  quitted  the  room.  There  is  a  letter  on  the 
table,  at  least  I  think  so.  It  is  sealed.  Let  not  the  seal 
be  broken  but  by  my  son,  and  not  by  him  unless  he  knows 
the  secret.  Let  it  be  burnt  by  the  priest, — for  it  is  cursed  ; 
— and  even  should  my  son  know  all  that  I  do,  oh  !  let  him 
pause, — let  him  reflect  well  before  he  breaks  the  seal, — for 
'twere  better  he  should  know  no  more  !  " 

"  Not  know  more !  "  thought  Philip,  as  his  eyes  were 
still  fixed  upon  the  paper.  "  Yes,  but  I  must  and  will 
know  more !  so  forgive  me,  dearest  mother,  if  I  waste  no 
time  in  reflection.  It  would  be  but  time  thrown  away, 
when  one  is  resolved  as  I  am." 

Philip  pressed  his  lips  to  his  mother's  signature,  folded 
up  the  paper,  and  put  it  into  his  pocket ;  then,  taking  the 
key,  he  proceeded  downstairs. 

It  was  about  noon  when  Philip  descended  to  open  the 
chamber ;  the  sun  shone  bright,  the  sky  was  clear,  and  all 
without  was  cheerful  and  joyous.  The  front  door  of  the 
cottage  being  closed,  there  was  not  much  light  in  the 
passage  when  Philip  put  the  key  into  the  lock  of  the  long- 
closed  door,  and  with  some  difficulty  turned  it  round.  To 
say  that  when  he  pushed  open  the  door  he  felt  no  alarm, 
would  not  be  correct ;  he  did  feel  alarm,  and  his  heart 
palpitated  j  but  he  felt  more  than  was  requisite  of  deter- 


28  The  Phantom  Ship 

mination  to  conquer  that  alarm,  and  to  conquer  more, 
should  more  be  created  by  what  he  should  behold.  He 
opened  the  door,  but  did  not  immediately  enter  the  room : 
he  paused  where  he  stood,  for  he  felt  as  if  he  was  about 
to  intrude  into  the  retreat  of  a  disembodied  spirit,  and 
that  that  spirit  might  reappear.  He  waited  a  minute,  for 
the  effort  of  opening  the  door  had  taken  away  his  breath, 
and,  as  he  recovered  himself,  he  looked  within. 

He  could  but  imperfectly  distinguish  the  objects  in  the 
chamber,  but  through  the  joints  of  the  shutters  there  were 
three  brilliant  beams  of  sunshine  forcing  their  way  across 
the  room,  which  at  first  induced  him  to  recoil  as  if  from 
something  supernatural ;  but  a  little  reflection  reassured 
him.  After  about  a  minute's  pause,  Philip  went  into  the 
kitchen,  lighted  a  candle,  and,  sighing  deeply  two  or  three 
times  as  if  to  relieve  his  heart,  he  summoned  his  resolution, 
and  walked  towards  the  fatal  room.  He  first  stopped  at 
the  threshold,  and,  by  the  light  of  the  candle,  took  a  hasty 
survey.  All  was  still :  and  the  table  on  which  the  letter 
had  been  left,  being  behind  the  door,  was  concealed  by  its 
being  opened.  It  must  be  done,  thought  Philip :  and  why 
not  at  once  ?  continued  he,  resuming  his  courage ;  and, 
with  a  firm  step,  he  walked  into  the  room  and  went  to 
unfasten  the  shutters.  If  his  hands  trembled  a  little  when 
he  called  to  mind  how  supernaturally  they  had  last  been 
opened,  it  is  not  surprising.  We  are  but  mortal,  and  we 
shrink  from  contact  with  aught  beyond  this  life.  When 
the  fastenings  were  removed  and  the  shutters  unfolded,  a 
stream  of  light  poured  into  the  room  so  vivid  as  to  dazzle 
his  eyesight ;  strange  to  say,  this  very  light  of  a  brilliant 
day  overthrew  the  resolution  of  Philip  more  than  the 
previous  gloom  and  darkness  had  done ;  and  with  the 
candle  in  his  hand,  he  retreated  hastily  into  the  kitchen  to 
re-summon  his  courage,  and  there  he  remained  for  some 
minutes,  with  his  face  covered,  and  in  deep  thought. 

It  is  singular  that  his  reveries  at  last  ended  by  reverting 
to  the  fair  daughter  of  Mynheer  Poots,  and  her  first 
appearance  at   the  window  j  and  he  felt  as  if  the  flood 


The  Phantom  Ship  29 

of  light  which  had  just  driven  him  from  the  one,  was 
not  more  impressive  and  startling  than  her  enchanting 
form  at  the  other.  His  mind  dwelling  upon  the  beauteous 
vision  appeared  to  restore  Philip's  confidence ;  he  now 
rose  and  boldly  walked  into  the  room.  We  shal]  not 
describe  the  objects  it  contained  as  they  chanced  to  meet 
the  eyes  of  Philip,  but  attempt  a  more  lucid  arrangement. 

The  room  was  about  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  square, 
with  but  one  window ;  opposite  to  the  door  stood  the 
chimney  and  fireplace,  with  a  high  buffet  of  dark  wood 
on  each  side.  The  floor  of  the  room  was  not  dirty, 
although  about  its  upper  parts  spiders  had  run  their 
cobwebs  in  every  direction.  In  the  centre  of  the  ceiling 
hung  a  quicksilver  globe,  a  common  ornament  in  those 
days,  but  the  major  part  of  it  had  lost  its  brilliancy,  the 
spiders'  webs  enclosing  it  like  a  shroud.  Over  the  chimney- 
piece  were  hung  two  or  three  drawings  framed  and  glazed, 
but  a  dusty  mildew  was  spotted  over  the  glass,  so  that 
little  of  them  could  be  distinguished.  In  the  centre  of  the 
mantel-piece  was  an  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  of  pure 
silver,  in  a  shrine  of  the  same  metal,  but  it  was  tarnished 
to  the  colour  of  bronze  or  iron ;  some  Indian  figures  stood 
on  each  side  of  it.  The  glass  doors  of  the  buffets  on  each 
side  of  the  chimney-piece  were  also  so  dimmed  that  little 
of  what  was  within  could  be  distinguished  ;  the  light  and 
heat  which  had  been  poured  into  the  room,  even  for  so 
short  a  time,  had  already  gathered  up  the  damp  of  many 
years,  and  it  lay  as  a  mist  and  mingled  with  the  dust  upon 
the  panes  of  glass :  still  here  and  there  a  glittering  of 
silver  vessels  could  be  discerned,  for  the  glass  doors  had 
protected  them  from  turning  black,  although  much  dimmed 
in  lustre. 

On  the  wall  facing  the  window  were  other  prints,  in 
frames  equally  veiled  in  damp  and  cobwebs,  and  also  two 
bird-cages.  The  bird-cages  Philip  approached,  and  looked 
into  them.  The  occupants,  of  course,  had  long  been  dead ; 
but  at  the  bottom  of  the  cages  was  a  small  heap  of  yellow 
feathers,   through  which   the   Httle   white   bones   of  the 


30  The  Phantom  Ship 

skeletons  were  to  be  seen,  proving  that  they  had  been 
brought  from  the  Canary  Isles ;  and,  at  that  period,  such 
birds  were  highly  valued.  Philip  appeared  to  wish  to 
examine  everything  before  he  sought  that  which  he  most 
dreaded,  yet  most  wished,  to  find.  There  were  several 
chairs  round  the  room :  on  one  of  them  was  some  linen ; 
he  took  it  up.  It  was  some  that  must  have  belonged  to 
him  when  he  was  yet  a  child.  At  last,  Philip  turned  his 
eyes  to  the  wall  not  yet  examined  (that  opposite  the 
chimney-piece),  through  which  the  door  was  pierced,  and 
behind  the  door  as  it  lay  open,  he  was  to  find  the  table, 
the  couch,  the  workbox,  and  the  fatal  letter.  As  he 
turned  round,  his  pulse,  which  had  gradually  recovered  its 
regular  motion,  beat  more  quickly ;  but  he  made  the  effort, 
and  it  was  over.  At  first  he  examined  the  walls,  against 
which  were  hung  swords  and  pistols  of  various  sorts,  but 
chiefly  Asiatic  bows  and  arrows,  and  other  implements  of 
destruction.  Philip's  eyes  gradually  descended  upon  the 
table,  and  little  couch  behind  it,  where  his  mother  stated 
herself  to  have  been  seated  when  his  father  made  his 
awful  visit.  The  workbox  and  all  its  implements  were  on 
the  table,  just  as  she  had  left  them.  The  keys  she 
mentioned  were  also  lying  there,  but  Philip  looked,  and 
looked  again ;  there  was  no  letter.  He  now  advanced 
nearer,  examined  closely — there  was  none  that  he  could 
perceive,  either  on  the  couch  or  on  the  table — or  on  the 
floor.  He  lifted  up  the  workbox  to  ascertain  if  it  was 
beneath — but  no.  He  examined  among  its  contents,  but 
no  letter  was  there.  He  turned  over  the  pillows  of  the 
couch,  but  still  there  was  no  letter  to  be  found.  And 
Philip  felt  as  if  there  had  been  a  heavy  load  removed  from 
his  panting  chest.  "  Surely,  then,"  thought  he,  as  he 
leant  against  the  wall,  *'  this  must  have  been  the  vision  of 
a  heated  imagination.  My  poor  mother  must  have  fallen 
asleep,  and  dreamt  this  horrid  tale.  I  thought  it  was 
impossible,  at  least  I  hoped  so.  It  must  have  been  as  I 
suppose;  the  dream  was  too  powerful,  too  like  a  fearful 
reality,    partially    unseated    my    poor    mother's    reason." 


The  Phantom  Ship  31 

Philip  reflected  again,  and  was  then  satisfied  that  his 
suppositions  were  correct. 

**  Yes,  it  must  have  been  so,  poor  dear  mother  !  how 
much  thou  hast  suffered !  but  thou  art  now  rewarded,  and 
with  God." 

After  a  few  minutes  (during  which  he  surveyed  the 
room  again  and  again  with  more  coolness,  and  perhaps  some 
indifference,  now  that  he  regarded  the  supernatural  history 
as  not  true),  Philip  took  out  of  his  pocket  the  written 
paper  found  with  the  key,  and  read  it  over. — **The  iron 
cupboard  under  the  buffet  farthest  from  the  window." 
**  'Tis  well."  He  took  the  bunch  of  keys  from  off  the 
table,  and  soon  fitted  one  to  the  outside  wooden  doors 
which  concealed  the  iron  safe.  A  second  key  on  the  bunch 
opened  the  iron  doors ;  and  Philip  found  himself  in  posses- 
sion of  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  amounting,  as  near 
as  he  could  reckon,  to  ten  thousand  guilders,  in  little 
yellow  sacks.  "  My  poor  mother  !  "  thought  he ;  "  and 
has  a  mere  dream  scared  thee  to  penury  and  want,  with 
all  this  wealth  in  thy  possession  ?  "  Philip  replaced  the 
sacks,  and  locked  up  the  cupboards,  after  having  taken 
out  of  one,  already  half  emptied,  a  few  pieces  for  his 
immediate  wants.  His  attention  was  next  directed  to 
the  buffets  above,  which,  with  one  of  the  keys,  he 
opened  ;  he  found  that  they  contained  china,  silver 
flagons,  and  cups  of  considerable  value.  The  locks  were 
again  turned,  and  the  bunch  of  keys  thrown  upon  the 
table. 

The  sudden  possession  of  so  much  wealth  added  to  the 
conviction,  to  which  Philip  had  now  arrived,  that  there  had 
been  no  supernatural  appearance,  as  supposed  by  his 
mother,  naturally  revived  and  composed  his  spirits ;  and 
he  felt  a  reaction  which  amounted  almost  to  hilarity. 
Seating  himself  on  the  couch,  he  was  soon  in  a  reverie, 
and  as  before,  reverted  to  the  lovely  daughter  of  Mynheer 
Poots,  indulging  in  various  castle-buildings,  all  ending,  as 
usual,  when  we  choose  for  ourselves,  in  competence  and 
felicity.     In  this  pleasing  occupation  he  remained  for  more 


32  The  Phantom  Ship 

than  two  hours,  when  his  thoughts  again  reverted  to  his 
poor  mother  and  her  fearful  death. 

"  Dearest,  kindest  mother  !  "  apostrophised  Philip  aloud, 
as  he  rose  from  his  leaning  position,  "  here  thou  wert, 
tired  with  watching  over  my  infant  slumbers,  thinking  of 
my  absent  father  and  his  dangers,  working  up  thy  mind 
and  anticipating  evil,  till  thy  fevered  sleep  conjured  up 
this  apparition.  Yes,  it  must  have  been  so,  for  see  here, 
lying  on  the  floor,  is  the  embroidery,  as  it  fell  from  thy 
unconscious  hands,  and  with  that  labour  ceased  thy 
happiness  in  this  life.  Dear,  dear  mother  ! "  continued 
he,  a  tear  rolling  down  his  cheek  as  he  stooped  to  pick  up 
the  piece  of  muslin,  "how  much  hast  thou  suffered  when 

God  of  Heaven ! "  exclaimed  Philip,  as  he  lifted  up 

the  embroidery,  starting  back  with  violence,  and  over-- 
turning  the  table,  "  God  of  Heaven  and  of  Judgment,, 
there  is — there  ^V,"  and  Philip  clasped  his  hands,  and 
bowed  his  head  in  awe  and  anguish,  as  in  a  changed  and 
fearful  tone  he  muttered  forth — "  the  Letter  !  " 

It  was  but  too  true, — underneath  the  embroidery  on  the 
floor  had  lain  the  fatal  letter  of  Vanderdecken.  Had  Philip 
^een  it  on  the  table  when  he  first  went  into  the  room,  and 
was  prepared  to  find  it,  he  would  have  taken  it  up  with 
some  degree  of  composure ;  but  to  find  it  now,  when  he 
had  persuaded  himself  that  it  was  all  an  illusion  on  the 
part  of  his  mother ;  when  he  had  made  up  his  mind  that 
there  had  been  no  supernatural  agency ;  after  he  had  been 
indulging  in  visions  of  future  bliss  and  repose,  was  a 
shock  that  transfixed  him  where  he  stood,  and  for  some 
time  he  remained  in  his  attitude  of  surprise  and  terror. 
Down  at  once  fell  the  airy  fabric  of  happiness  which  he 
had  built  up  during  the  last  two  hours ;  and  as  he 
gradually  recovered  from  his  alarm,  his  heart  filled  with 
melancholy  forebodings.  At  last  he  dashed  forward, 
seized  the  letter,  and  burst  out  of  the  fatal  room. 

**  I  cannot,  dare  not,  read  it  here,"  exclaimed  he  ;  **  no, 
no,  it  must  be  under  the  vault  of  high  and  offended 
Heaven,  that  the  message  must  be  received."     Philip  took 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^^ 

his  hat,  and  went  out  of  the  house;  in  calm  despair  he 
locked  the  door,  took  out  the  key,  and  walked  he  knew 
not  whither. 


Chapter  IV 

If  the  reader  can  imagine  the  feelings  of  a  man  who, 
sentenced  to  death,  and  having  resigned  himself  to  his  fate, 
finds  himself  unexpectedly  reprieved ;  who,  having  re- 
composed  his  mind  after  the  agitation  arising  from  a 
renewal  of  those  hopes  and  expectations  which  he  had 
abandoned,  once  more  dwells  upon  future  prospects,  and 
indulges  in  pleasing  anticipations :  we  say,  that  if  the 
reader  can  imagine  this,  and  then  what  would  be  that 
man's  feelings  when  he  finds  that  the  reprieve  is  revoked, 
and  that  he  is  to  suffer,  he  may  then  form  some  idea 
of  the  state  of  Philip's  mind  when  he  quitted  the  cottage. 

Long  did  he  walk,  careless  in  which  direction,  with  the 
letter  in  his  clenched  hand,  and  his  teeth  firmly  set. 
Gradually  he  became  more  composed :  and  out  of  breath 
with  the  rapidity  of  his  motion,  he  sat  down  upon  a  bank, 
and  there  he  long  remained,  with  his  eyes  riveted  upon 
the  dreaded  paper,  which  he  held  with  both  his  hands 
upon  his  knees. 

Mechanically  he  turned  the  letter  over  *,  the  seal  was 
black.  Philip  sighed. — "  I  cannot  read  it  now,"  thought 
he,  and  he  rose  and  continued  his  devious  way. 

For  another  half-hour  did  Philip  keep  in  motion,  and 
the  sun  was  not  many  degrees  above  the  horizon.  Philip 
stopped  and  looked  at  it  till  his  vision  failed.  "  I  could 
imagine  that  it  was  the  eye  of  God,"  thought  Philip, 
"  and  perhaps  it  may  be.  Why  then,  merciful  Creator, 
am  I  thus  selected  from  so  many  millions  to  fulfil  so  dire 
a  task  ? " 

Philip  looked  about  him  for  some  spot  where  he  might 
be  concealed  from  observation — where  he  might  break 
the  seal,  and  read  this  mission  from  a  world  of  spirits, 
p.s.  c 


34  The  Phantom  Ship 

A  small  copse  of  brushwood,  in  advance  of  a  grove  of 
trees,  was  not  far  from  where  he  stood.  He  walked  to 
it,  and  sat  down,  so  as  to  be  concealed  from  any  passers- 
by.  Philip  once  more  looked  at  the  descending  orb  of 
day,  and  by  degrees  he  became  composed. 

"It  is  thy  will,"  exclaimed  he  ;  **  it  is  my  fate,  and 
both  must  be  accomplished." 

Philip  put  his  hand  to  the  seal, — his  blood  thrilled 
when  he  called  to  mind  that  it  had  been  delivered  by  no 
mortal  hand,  and  that  it  contained  the  secret  of  one  in 
judgment.  He  remembered  that  that  one  was  his  father  ; 
and  that  it  was  only  in  the  letter  that  there  was  hope, — 
hope  for  his  poor  father,  whose  memory  he  had  been 
taught  to  love,  and  who  appealed  for  help. 

"  Coward  that  I  am,  to  have  lost  so  many  hours  !  " 
exclaimed  Philip ;  **  yon  sun  appears  as  if  waiting  on 
the  hill,  to  give  me  light  to  read." 

Philip  mused  a  short  time  -,  he  was  once  more  the 
daring  Vanderdecken.  Calmly  he  broke  the  seal,  which 
bore  the  initials  of  his  father's  name,  and  read  as 
follows : — 


**  To  Catherine. 

"  One  of  those  pitying  spirits  whose  eyes  rain  tears  for 
mortal  crimes  has  been  permitted  to  inform  me  by  what 
means  alone  my  dreadful  doom  may  be  averted. 

**  Could  I  but  receive  on  the  deck  of  my  own  ship  the 
holy  relic  upon  which  I  swore  the  fatal  oath,  kiss  it  in  all 
humility,  and  shed  one  tear  of  deep  contrition  on  the 
sacred  wood,  I  then  might  rest  in  peace. 

"  How  this  may  be  effected,  or  by  whom  so  fatal  a  task 
will  be  undertaken,  I  know  not.  O  Catherine,  we  have 
a  son — but,  no,  no,  let  him  not  hear  of  me.  Pray  for  me, 
and  now,  farewell.  "  I.  Vanderdecken." 

"  Then  it  is  true,  most  horribly  true,"  thought  Philip ; 
**  and  my  father  is  even  now  in  living  judgment.     And 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^s 

he  points  to  me — to  whom  else  should  he?  Am  I  not 
his  son,  and  is  it  not  my  duty  ? 

"  Yes,  father,"  exclaimed  Philip  aloud,  falling  on  his 
knees,  *'you  have  not  written  these  lines  in  vain.  Let 
me  peruse  them  once  more." 

Philip  raised  up  his  hand  ;  but  although  it  appeared  to 
him  that  he  had  still  hold  of  the  letter,  it  was  not  there — 
he  grasped  nothing.  He  looked  on  the  grass  to  see  if  it 
had  fallen — but  no,  there  was  no  letter,  it  had  disappeared. 
Was  it  a  vision  ? — no,  no,  he  had  read  every  word. 
"  Then  it  must  be  to  me,  and  me  alone,  that  the  mission 
was  intended.     I  accept  the  sign. 

"  Hear  me,  dear  father, — if  thou  art  so  permitted, — 
and  deign  to  hear  me,  gracious  Heaven — hear  the  son 
who,  by  this  sacred  relic,  swears  that  he  will  avert  your 
doom,  or  perish.  To  that  will  he  devote  his  days  5  and 
having  done  his  duty,  he  will  die  in  hope  and  peace. 
Heaven,  that  recorded  my  rash  father's  oath,  now  register 
his  son's  upon  the  same  sacred  cross,  and  may  perjury  on 
my  part  be  visited  with  punishment  more  dire  than  his ! 
Receive  it.  Heaven,  as  at  the  last  I  trust  that  in  thy 
mercy  thou  wilt  receive  the  father  and  the  son !  and  if 
too  bold,  O  pardon  my  presumption." 

Philip  threw  himself  forward  on  his  face,  with  his 
lips  to  the  sacred  symbol.  The  sun  went  down,  and 
twilight  gradually  disappeared ;  night  had,  for  some 
time,  shrouded  all  in  darkness,  and  Philip  yet  remained 
in  alternate  prayer  and  meditation. 

But  he  was  disturbed  by  the  voices  of  some  men,  who 
sat  down  upon  the  turf  but  a  few  yards  from  where  he 
was  concealed.  The  conversation  he  little  heeded ;  but 
it  had  roused  him,  and  his  first  feeling  was  to  return  to 
the  cottage,  that  he  might  reflect  over  his  plans ;  but 
although  the  men  spoke  in  a  low  tone,  his  attention  was 
soon  arrested  by  the  subject  of  their  conversation,  when 
he  heard  the  name  mentioned  of  Mynheer  Poots.  He 
listened  attentively,  and  discovered  that  they  were  four 
disbanded  soldiers,  who  intended  that  night  to  attack  the 


;^6  The  Phantom  Ship 

house  of  the  little  doctor,  who  had,  they  knew,  much 
money  in  his  possession. 

"  What  I  have  proposed  is  the  best,"  said  one  of  them  j 
"  he  has  no  one  with  him  but  his  daughter." 

"  I  value  her  more  than  his  money,"  replied  another  -, 
**  so,  recollect  before  we  go,  it  is  perfectly  understood  that 
she  is  to  be  my  property." 

"  Yes,  if  you  choose  to  purchase  her,  there's  no 
objection,"  replied  a  third. 

"  Agreed  -,  how  much  will  you  in  conscience  ask  for  a 
puling  girl  ?  " 

"  I  say  five  hundred  guilders,"  replied  another. 

**  Well,  be  it  so,  but  on  this  condition,  that  if  my  share 
of  the  booty  does  not  amount  to  so  much,  I  am  to  have 
her  for  my  share,  whatever  it  may  be." 

"That's  very  fair,"  replied  the  other ;  "but  I'm  much 
mistaken  if  we  don't  turn  more  than  two  thousand  guilders 
out  of  the  old  man's  chest." 

"  What  do  you  two  say — is  it  agreed — shall  Baetens 
have  her  ? " 

**  O  yes,"  replied  the  others. 

"  Well,  then,"  replied  the  one  who  had  stipulated  for 
Mynheer  Foots'  daughter,  "  now  I  am  with  you,  heart  and 
soul.  I  loved  that  girl,  and  tried  to  get  her, — I  positively 
offered  to  marry  her,  but  the  old  hunks  refused  me,  an 
ensign,  an  officer  -,  but  now  I'll  have  revenge.  We  must 
not  spare  him." 

"  No,  no,"  replied  the  others. 

"  Shall  we  go  now,  or  wait  till  it  is  later  ?  In  an  hour 
or  more  the  moon  will  be  up, — we  may  be  seen." 

**  Who  is  to  see  us  ?  unless,  indeed,  some  one  is  sent  for 
him.     The  later  the  better,  I  say." 

"  How  long  will  it  take  us  to  get  there  ?  Not  half  an 
hour,  if  we  walk.  Suppose  we  start  in  half  an  hour  hence, 
we  shall  just  have  the  moon  to  count  the  guilders  by." 

"  That's  all  right.  In  the  meantime  I'll  put  a  new  flint 
in  my  lock,  and  have  my  carbine  loaded.  I  can  work  ia 
the  dark." 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^y 

**  You  are  used  to  it,  Jan. 

"  Yes,  I  am, — and  I  intend  this  ball  to  go  through  the 
old  rascal's  head.** 

"  Well,  I*d  rather  you  should  kill  him  than  I,'*  replied 
one  of  the  others,  "  for  he  saved  my  life  at  Middleburgh, 
when  everyone  made  sure  I'd  die." 

Philip  did  not  wait  to  hear  any  more ;  he  crawled 
behind  the  bushes  until  he  gained  the  grove  of  trees,  and 
passing  through  them,  made  a  detour,  so  as  not  to  be  seen 
by  these  miscreants.  That  they  were  disbanded  soldiers, 
many  of  whom  were  infesting  the  country,  he  knew  well. 
All  his  thoughts  were  now  to  save  the  old  doctor  and  his 
daughter  from  the  danger  which  threatened  them  ;  and 
for  a  time  he  forgot  his  father,  and  the  exciting  revelations 
of  the  day.  Although  Philip  had  not  been  aware  in  what 
direction  he  had  walked  when  he  set  off  from  the  cottage, 
he  knew  the  country  well ;  and  now  that  it  was  necessary 
to  act,  he  remembered  the  direction  in  which  he  should 
find  the  lonely  house  of  Mynheer  Poots  :  with  the  utmost 
speed  he  made  his  way  for  it,  and  in  less  than  twenty 
minutes  he  arrived  there,  out  of  breath. 

As  usual,  all  was  silent,  and  the  door  fastened.  Philip 
knocked,  but  there  was  no  reply.  Again  and  again  he 
knocked,  and  became  impatient.  Mynheer  Poots  must 
have  been  summoned,  and  was  not  in  the  house  ;  Philip 
therefore  called  out,  so  as  to  be  heard  within.  "  Maiden, 
if  your  father  is  out,  as  I  presume  he  must  be,  listen  to 
what  I  have  to  say — I  am  Philip  Vanderdecken.  But  now 
I  overheard  four  wretches  who  have  planned  to  murder 
your  father,  and  rob  him  of  his  gold.  In  one  hour  or  less 
they  will  be  here,  and  I  have  hastened  to  warn  and  to 
protect  you,  if  I  may.  I  swear  upon  the  relic  that  you 
delivered  to  me  this  morning  that  what  I  state  is 
true." 

Philip  waited  a  short  time,  but  received  no  answer. 

"  Maiden,"  resumed  he,  "  answer  me,  if  you  value  that 
which  is  more  dear  to  you,  than  even  your  father's  gold  to 
him.     Open  the  casement  above,  and  listen  to  what  I  have 


38  The  Phantom  Ship 

to  say.  In  so  doing  there  is  no  risk  ;  and  even  if  it  were 
not  dark,  already  have  I  seen  you." 

A  short  time  after  this  second  address,  the  casement  of 
the  upper  window  was  unbarred,  and  the  slight  form  of 
the  fair  daughter  of  Mynheer  Foots  was  to  be  distinguished 
by  Philip  through  the  gloom. 

"What  wouldst  thou,  young  sir,  at  this  unseemly  hour  ? 
and  what  is  it  thou  wouldst  impart,  but  imperfectly  heard 
by  me,  when  thou  spokest  this  minute  at  the  door  ? " 

Philip  then  entered  into  a  detail  of  all  that  he  had  over- 
heard, and  concluded  by  begging  her  to  admit  him,  that  he 
might  defend  her. 

"  Think,  fair  maiden,  of  what  I  have  told  you.  You 
have  been  sold  to  one  of  those  reprobates,  whose  name  I 
think  they  mentioned,  was  Baetens.  The  gold,  I  know, 
you  value  not ;  but  think  of  thine  own  dear  self — suffer 
me  to  enter  the  house,  and  think  not  for  one  moment  that 
my  story's  feigned.  I  swear  to  thee,  by  the  soul  of  my 
poor  dear  mother,  now,  I  trust,  in  heaven,  that  every  word 
is  true." 

**  Baetens,  said  you,  sir  ? " 

**  If  I  mistook  them  not,  such  was  the  name  ;  he  said  he 
loved  you  once." 

**  That  name  I  have  in  memory — I  know  not  what  to  do 
or  what  to  say — my  father  has  been  summoned  to  a  birth, 
and  may  be  yet  away  for  many  hours.  Yet  how  can  I 
open  the  door  to  you — at  night — he  is  not  at  home — I 
alone  ?  I  ought  not — cannot — yet  do  I  believe  you.  You 
surely  never  could  be  so  base  as  to  invent  this  tale." 

**  No — upon  my  hopes  of  future  bliss  I  could  not, 
maiden  !  You  must  not  trifle  with  your  life  and  honour, 
but  let  me  in." 

"  And  if  I  did,  what  could  you  do  against  such  numbers  ? 
They  are  four  to  one — would  soon  overpower  you,  and 
one  more  life  would  be  lost." 

"  Not  if  you  have  arms  ;  and  I  think  your  father  would 
not  be  left  without  them.  I  fear  them  not — you  know 
that  I  am  resolute." 


The  Phantom  Ship  39 

"  I  do  indeed — and  now  you'd  risk  your  life  for  those 
you  did  assail.  I  thank  you — thank  you  kindly,  sir — but 
dare  not  open  the  door." 

"  Then,  maiden,  if  you'll  not  admit  me,  here  will  I  now 
remain  ;  without  arms,  and  but  ill  able  to  contend  with 
four  armed  villains ;  but  still,  here  will  I  remain  and  prove 
my  truth  to  one  I  will  protect  against  any  odds — yes,  even 
here  ! " 

"  Then  shall  I  be  thy  murderer  ! — but  that  must  not  be. 
Oh  I  sir — swear,  swear  by  all  that's  holy,  and  by  all  that's 
pure,  that  you  do  not  deceive  me." 

"I  swear  by  thyself,  maiden,  than  all  to  me  more 
sacred !  " 

The  casement  closed,  and  in  a  short  time  a  light 
appeared  above.  In  a  minute  or  two  more  the  door  was 
opened  to  Philip  by  the  fair  daughter  of  Mynheer  Foots. 
She  stood  with  the  candle  in  her  right  hand,  the  colour  in 
her  cheeks  varying — now  flushing  red,  and  again  deadly 
pale.  Her  left  hand  was  down  by  her  side,  and  in  it  she 
held  a  pistol  half  concealed.  Philip  perceived  this  precau- 
tion on  her  part  but  took  no  notice  of  it  j  he  wished  to 
reassure  her. 

"Maiden!"  said  he,  not  entering,  "  if  you  still  have 
doubts — if  you  think  you  have  been  ill-advised  in  giving 
me  admission — there  is  yet  time  to  close  the  door  against 
me  :  but  for  your  own  sake  I  entreat  you  not.  Before  the 
moon  is  up,  the  robbers  will  be  here.  With  my  life  I  will 
protect  you,  if  you  will  but  trust  me.  Who  indeed  could 
injure  one  like  you  ?  " 

She  was  indeed  (as  she  stood  irresolute  and  perplexed 
from  the  peculiarity  of  her  situation,  yet  not  wanting  in 
courage  when  it  was  to  be  called  forth)  an  object  well 
worthy  of  gaze  and  admiration.  Her  features  thrown  into 
broad  light  and  shade  by  the  candle  which  at  times  was 
half  extinguished  by  the  wind — her  symmetry  of  form  and 
the  gracefulness  and  singularity  of  her  attire — were  matter 
of  astonishment  to  Philip.  Her  head  was  without  cover- 
ing, and  her  long  hair  fell  in  plaits  behind  her  shoulders  ; 


40  The  Phantom  Ship 

her  stature  was  rather  under  the  middle  size,  but  her  form 
perfect ;  her  dress  was  simple  but  becoming,  and  very 
different  from  that  usually  worn  by  the  young  women 
of  the  district.  Not  only  her  features  but  her  dress  would 
at  once  have  indicated  to  a  traveller  that  she  was  of  Arab 
blood,  as  was  the  fact. 

She  looked  in  Philip's  face  as  she  spoke — earnestly,  as  if 
she  would  have  penetrated  into  his  inmost  thoughts  -,  but 
there  was  a  frankness  and  honesty  in  his  bearing,  and  a 
sincerity  in  his  manly  countenance,  which  reassured  her. 
After  a  moment's  hesitation  she  replied — 

"  Come  in,  sir  ;  I  feel  that  I  can  trust  you." 

Philip  entered.  The  door  was  then  closed  and  made 
secure. 

"We  have  no  time  to  lose,  maiden,"  said  Philip:  "but 
tell  me  your  name,  that  I  may  address  you  as  I  ought." 

**  My  name  is  Amine,"  replied  she,  retreating  a  little. 

**  I  thank  you  for  that  little  confidence  ;  but  I  must  not 
dally.  "What  arms  have  you  in  the  house,  and  have  you 
ammunition  ? " 

**  Both.     I  wish  that  my  father  would  come  home." 

"  And  so  do  I,"  replied  Philip,  "  devoutly  wish  he 
would,  before  these  murderers  come ;  but  riot,  I  trust, 
while  the  attack  is  making,  for  there's  a  carbine  loaded 
expressly  for  his  head,  and  if  they  make  him  prisoner, 
they  will  not  spare  his  life,  unless  his  gold  and  your  person 
are  given  in  ransom.  But  the  arms,  maiden — where  are 
they?" 

**  Follow  me,"  replied  Amine,  leading  Philip  to  an  inner 
room  on  the  upper  floor.  It  was  the  sanctum  of  her  father, 
and  was  surrounded  with  shelves  filled  with  bottles  and 
boxes  of  drugs.  In  one  corner  was  an  iron  chest,  and  over 
the  mantel-piece  were  a  brace  of  carbines  and  three  pistols. 

"They  are  all  loaded,"  observed  Amine,  pointing  to 
them,  and  laying  on  the  table  the  one  which  she  had  held 
in  her  hand. 

Philip  took  down  the  arms,  and  examined  all  the  prim- 
ings.    He  then  took  up  from  the  table  the  pistol  which 


The  Phantom  Ship  41 

Amine  had  laid  there,  and  threw  open  the  pan.  It  was 
equally  well  prepared.  Philip  closed  the  pan,  and  with  a 
smile  observed, 

"  So  this  was  meant  for  me,  Amine  ? " 

"  No — not  for  you — but  for  a  traitor,  had  one  gained 
admittance." 

"Now,  maiden,"  observed  Philip,  **I  shall  station 
myself  at  the  casement  which  you  opened,  but  without  a 
light  in  the  room.  You  may  remain  here,  and  can  turn  the 
key  for  your  security." 

**  You  little  know  me,"  replied  Amine.  "  In  that  way 
at  least  I  am  not  fearful ;  I  must  remain  near  you  and 
reload  the  arms — a  task  in  which  I  am  well  practised." 

"No,  no,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  you  might  be  hurt." 

**  I  may.  But  think  you  I  will  remain  here  idly,  when  I 
can  assist  one  who  risks  his  life  for  me  ?  I  know  my  duty, 
sir,  and  I  shall  perform  it." 

"  You  must  not  risk  your  life.  Amine,"  replied  Philip ; 
"my  aim  will  not  be  steady,  if  I  know  that  you're  in 
danger.  But  I  must  take  the  arms  into  the  other  chamber, 
for  the  time  is  come." 

Philip,  assisted  by  Amine,  carried  the  carbines  and  pistols 
into  the  adjoining  chamber ;  and  Amine  then  left  Philip, 
carrying  with  her  the  light.  Philip,  as  soon  as  he  was 
alone,  opened  the  casement  and  looked  out — there  was  no 
one  to  be  seen  ;  he  listened,  but  all  was  silent.  The  moon 
was  just  rising  above  the  distant  hill,  but  her  light  was 
dimmed  by  fleecy  clouds,  and  PhiHp  watched  for  a  few 
minutes ;  at  length  he  heard  a  whispering  below.  He 
looked  out,  and  could  distinguish  through  the  dark  the 
four  expected  assailants,  standing  close  to  the  door  of  the 
house.  He  walked  away  softly  from  the  window,  and 
went  into  the  next  room  to  Amine,  whom  he  found  busy 
preparing  the  ammunition. 

"  Amine,  they  are  at  the  door,  in  consultation.  You  can 
see  them  now,  without  risk.  I  thank  them,  for  they  will 
convince  you  that  I  have  told  the  truth." 

Amine,  without  reply,  went  into  the  front   room   and 


42  The  Phantom  Ship 

looked  out  of  the  window.  She  returned,  and  laying  her 
hand  upon  Philip's  arm,  she  said — 

"  Grant  me  your  pardon  for  my  doubts.  I  fear  nothing 
now  but  that  my  father  may  return  too  soon,  and  they 
seize  him." 

Philip  left  the  room  again,  to  make  his  reconnaissance. 
The  robbers  did  not  appear  to  have  made  up  their  mind — 
the  strength  of  the  door  defied  their  utmost  efforts,  so  they 
attempted  stratagem.  They  knocked,  and  as  there  was  no 
reply,  they  continued  to  knock  louder  and  louder  :  not 
meeting  with  success  they  held  another  consultation,  and 
the  muzzle  of  a  carbine  was  then  put  to  the  keyhole,  and 
the  piece  discharged.  The  lock  of  the  door  was  blown 
off,  but  the  iron  bars  which  crossed  the  door  within,  above 
and  below,  still  held  it  fast. 

Although  Philip  would  have  been  justified  in  firing  upon 
the  robbers  when  he  first  perceived  them  in  consultation  at 
the  door,  still  there  is  that  feeling  in  a  generous  mind 
which  prevents  the  taking  away  of  life,  except  from  stern 
necessity  ;  and  this  feeling  made  him  withhold  his  fire 
until  hostilities  had  actually  commenced.  He  now  levelled 
one  of  the  carbines  at  the  head  of  the  robber  nearest  to  the 
door,  who  was  busy  examining  the  effect  which  the  dis- 
charge of  the  piece  had  made,  and  what  further  obstacles 
intervened.  The  aim  was  true,  and  the  man  fell  dead, 
while  the  others  started  back  with  surprise  at  the  un- 
expected retaliation.  But  in  a  second  or  two  a  pistol  was 
discharged  at  Philip,  who  still  remained  leaning  out  of  the 
casement,  fortunately  without  effect ;  and  the  next  moment 
he  felt  himself  drawn  away,  so  as  to  be  protected  from 
their  fire.  It  was  Amine,  who,  unknown  to  Philip,  had 
been  standing  by  his  side. 

"  You  must  not  expose  yourself,  Philip,"  said  she,  in  a 
low  tone. 

She  called  me  Philip,  thought  he,  but  made  no  reply. 

"They  will  be  watching  for  you  at  the  casement  now," 
said  Amine.  "  Take  the  other  carbine,  and  go  below  in 
the  passage.     If  the  lock  of  the  door  is  blown  off,  they 


The  Phantom  Ship  43 

may  put  their  arms  in  perhaps,  and  remove  the  bars.  I 
do  not  think  they  can,  but  I'm  not  sure ;  at  all  events, 
it  is  there  you  should  now  be,  as  there  they  will  not 
expect  you." 

"  You  are  right,"  replied  Philip,  going  down. 

"But  you  must  not  fire  more  than  once  there;  if  another 
fall,  there  will  be  but  two  to  deal  with,  and  they  cannot 
watch  the  casement  and  force  admittance  to.  Go — I  will 
reload  the  carbine." 

Philip  descended  softly  and  without  a  light.  He  went 
up  to  the  door  and  perceived  that  one  of  the  miscreants, 
with  his  arms  through  the  hole  where  the  lock  was  blown 
off,  was  working  at  the  upper  iron  bar,  which  he  could 
just  reach.  He  presented  his  carbine,  and  was  about  to 
fire  the  whole  charge  into  the  body  of  the  man  under  his 
raised  arm,  when  there  was  a  report  of  fire-arms  from  the 
robbers  outside. 

**  Amine  has  exposed  herself,"  thought  Philip,  "and 
may  be  hurt." 

The  desire  of  vengeance  prompted  him  first  to  fire  his 
piece  through  the  man's  body,  and  then  he  flew  up  the 
stairs  to  ascertain  the  state  of  Amine.  She  was  not  at  the 
casement ;  he  darted  into  the  inner  room^  and  found  her 
deliberately  loading  the  carbine. 

"  My  God !  how  you  frightened  me.  Amine.  I 
thought  by  their  firing  that  you  had  shown  yourself  at 
the  window." 

"Indeed  I  did  not;  but  I  thought  that  when  you  fired 
through  the  door  they  might  return  your  fire,  and  you  be 
hurt ;  so  I  went  to  the  side  of  the  casement  and  pushed 
out  on  a  stick  some  of  my  father's  clothes,  and  they  who 
were  watching  for  you  fired  immediately." 

"  Indeed,  Amine  !  who  could  have  expected  such  courage 
and  such  coolness  in  one  so  young  and  beautiful  ? " 
exclaimed  Philip,  with  surprise. 

"  Are  none  but  ill-favoured  people  brave,  then  ? "  replied 
Amine,  smiling. 

"  I  did  not  mean  that.  Amine — but  I  am  losing  time.     I 


44  The  Phantom  Ship 

must  to  the  door  again.     Give  me  that  carbine,  and  reload 
this." 

Philip  crept  downstairs  that  he  might  reconnoitre,  but 
before  he  had  gained  the  door  he  heard  at  a  distance  the 
voice  of  Mynheer  Poots.  Amine,  who  also  heard  it,  was 
in  a  moment  at  his  side  with  a  loaded  pistol  in  each  hand. 

**  Fear  not,  Amine,"  said  Philip,  as  he  unbarred  the 
door,  "  there  are  but  two,  and  your  father  shall  be  saved." 

The  door  was  opened,  and  Philip,  seizing  his  carbine, 
rushed  out ;  he  found  Mynheer  Poots  on  the  ground 
between  the  two  men,  one  of  whom  had  raised  his  knife 
to  plunge  it  into  his  body,  when  the  ball  of  the  carbine 
whizzed  through  his  head.  The  last  of  the  robbers 
closed  with  Philip,  and  a  desperate  struggle  ensued ;  it 
was,  however,  soon  decided  by  Amine  stepping  forward 
and  firing  one  of  the  pistols  through  the  robber's  body. 

We  must  here  inform  our  readers  that  Mynheer  Poots, 
when  coming  home,  had  heard  the  report  of  fire-arms  in 
the  direction  of  his  own  house.  The  recollection  of  his 
daughter  and  of  his  money — for  to  do  him  justice  he  did 
love  her  best — had  lent  him  wings  ;  he  forgot  that  he  was 
a  feeble  old  man  and  without  arms ;  all  he  thought  of  was 
to  gain  his  habitation.  On  he  came,  reckless,  frantic,  and 
shouting,  and  rushed  into  the  arms  of  the  two  robbers, 
who  seized  and  would  have  despatched  him,  had  not 
Philip  so  opportunely  come  to  his  assistance. 

As  soon  as  the  last  robber  fell,  Philip  disengaged  him- 
self and  went  to  the  assistance  of  Mynheer  Poots,  whom 
he  raised  up  in  his  arms,  and  carried  into  the  house  as  if  he 
were  an  infant.  The  old  man  was  still  in  a  state  of 
delirium  from  fear  and  previous  excitement. 

In  a  few  minutes  Mynheer  Poots  was  more  coherent. 

**  My  daughter  !  "  exclaimed  he — "  my  daughter  !  where 
is  she?" 

"  She  is  here,  father,  and  safe,"  replied  Amine. 

**  Ah !  my  child  is  safe,"  said  he,  opening  his  eyes  and 
staring.  **  Yes,  it  is  even  so — and  my  money — my  money 
— where  is  my  money  ? "  continued  he,  starting  up. 


The  Phantom  Ship  45 

'*  Quite  safe,  father." 

"  Quite  safe — you  say  quite  safe — are  you  sure  of  it  ? — 
let  me  see." 

"  There  it  is,  father,  as  you  may  perceive,  quite  safe — 
thanks  to  one  whom  you  have  not  treated  so  welL" 

**  Who — what  do  you  mean  ? — Ah,  yes,  I  see  him  now 
— *tis  PhiHp  Vanderdecken— he  owes  me  three  guilders 
and  a  half,  and  there  is  a  phial — did  he  save  you — and  my 
money,  child  ? " 

"He  did,  indeed,  at  the  risk  of  his  life." 
"  Well,  well,  I  will  forgive  him  the  whole  debt — yes, 
the  whole  of  it ;  but — the  phial  is  of  no  use  to  him — he 
must  return  that.     Give  me  some  water." 

It  was  some  time  before  the  old  man  could  regain  his 
perfect  reason.  PhiHp  left  him  with  his  daughter,  and, 
taking  a  brace  of  loaded  pistols,  went  out  to  ascertain  the 
fate  of  the  four  assailants.  The  moon  having  climbed 
above  the  banks  of  clouds  which  had  obscured  her,  was 
now  high  in  the  heavens,  shining  bright,  and  he  could 
distinguish  clearly.  The  two  men  lying  across  the  thres- 
hold of  the  door  were  quite  dead.  The  others,  who  had 
seized  upon  Mynheer  Poots,  were  still  alive,  but  one  was 
expiring  and  the  other  bled  fast.  Philip  put  a  few 
questions  to  the  latter,  but  he  either  would  not  or  could 
not  make  any  reply;  he  removed  their  weapons  and  re- 
turned to  the  house,  where  he  found  the  old  man  attended 
by  his  daughter,  in  a  state  of  comparative  composure. 

**  I  thank  you,  Philip  Vanderdecken  —  I  thank  you 
much.  You  have  saved  my  dear  child,  and  my  money — 
that  is  little,  very  little — for  I  am  poor.  May  you  live 
long  and  happily  !  " 

Philip  mused;  the  letter  and  his  vow  were,  for  the 
first  time  since  he  fell  in  with  the  robbers,  recalled  to 
his  recollection,  and  a  shade  passed  over  his  countenance. 

**  Long  and  happily — no,  no,"  muttered  he,  with  an 
involuntary  shake  of  the  head. 

**  And  I  must  thank  you,"  said  Amine,  looking  inquir- 
ingly in  Philip's  face.  "  O,  how  much  have  I  to  thank 
you  for  ! — and  indeed  I  am  grateful." 


46  The  Phantom  Ship 

"Yes,  yes,  she  is  very  grateful,"  interrupted  the  old 
man ;  "  but  we  are  poor — very  poor.  I  talked  about 
my  money  because  I  have  so  little,  and  I  cannot  afford 
to  lose  it ;  but  you  shall  not  pay  me  the  three  guilders 
and  a  half — I  am  content  to  lose  that,  Mr  Philip." 

"  Why  should  you  lose  even  that.  Mynheer  Poots  ? — 
I  promised  to  pay  you,  and  will  keep  my  word.  I  have 
plenty  of  money — thousands  of  guilders,  and  know  not 
what  to  do  with  them." 

**  You — you — thousands  of  guilders!"  exclaimed  Poots. 
"  Pooh,  nonsense,  that  won't  do." 

"I  repeat  to  you.  Amine,"  said  Philip,  "that  I  have 
thousands  of  guilders :  you  know  I  would  not  tell  you 
a  falsehood." 

"  I  believed  you  when  you  said  so  to  my  father,"  re- 
plied Amine. 

"  Then  perhaps,  as  you  have  so  much,  and  I  am  so 
very  poor,  Mr  Vanderdecken " 

But  Amine  put  her  hand  upon  her  father's  lips,  and 
the  sentence  was  not  finished. 

"  Father,"  said  Amine,  "it  is  time  that  we  retire. 
You  must  leave  us  for  to-night,  Philip." 

"  I  will  not,"  replied  Philip ;  "  nor,  you  may  depend 
upon  it,  will  I  sleep.  You  may  both  to  bed  in  safety. 
It  is  indeed  time  that  you  retire — good-night,  Mynheer 
Poots.  I  will  but  ask  a  lamp,  and  then  I  leave  you — 
Amine,  good-night." 

"  Good-night,"  said  Amine,  extending  her  hand,  "  and 
many,  many  thanks." 

"  Thousands  of  guilders  ! "  muttered  the  old  man,  as 
Philip  left  the  room  and  went  below. 


Chapter  V 

Philip  Vanderdecken  sat  down  at  the  porch  of  the  door ; 
he  swept  his  hair  from   his  forehead,  which  he  exposed 


The  Phantom  Ship  47 

to  the  fanning  of  the  breeze  •,  for  the  continued  excite- 
ment of  the  last  three  days  had  left  a  fever  on  his  brain 
which  made  him  restless  and  confused.  He  longed  for 
repose,  but  he  knew  that  for  him  there  was  no  rest. 
He  had  his  forebodings — he  perceived  in  the  vista  of 
futurity  a  long-continued  chain  of  danger  and  disaster, 
even  to  death ;  yet  he  beheld  it  without  emotion  and 
without  dread.  He  felt  as  if  it  were  only  three  days 
that  he  had  begun  to  exist ;  he  was  melancholy,  but  not 
unhappy.  His  thoughts  were  constantly  recurring  to  the 
fatal  letter — its  strange  supernatural  disappearance  seemed 
pointedly  to  establish  its  supernatural  origin,  and  that  the 
mission  had  been  intended  for  him  alone  ;  and  the  relic 
in  his  possession  more  fully  substantiated  the  fact. 

It  is  my  fate,  my  duty,  thought  Philip.  Having  satis- 
factorily made  up  his  mind  to  these  conclusions,  his 
thoughts  reverted  to  the  beauty,  the  courage,  and  presence 
of  mind  shown  by  Amine.  And,  thought  he,  as  he 
watched  the  moon  soaring  high  in  the  heavens,  is  this 
fair  creature's  destiny  to  be  interwoven  with  mine  ?  The 
events  of  the  last  three  days  would  almost  warrant  the 
supposition.  Heaven  only  knows,  and  Heaven's  will  be 
done.  I  have  vowed,  and  my  vow  is  registered,  that  I 
will  devote  my  life  to  the  release  of  my  unfortunate  father 
— but  does  that  prevent  my  loving  Amine  ? — No,  no ; 
the  sailor  on  the  Indian  seas  must  pass  months  and  months 
on  shore  before  he  can  return  to  his  duty.  My  search 
must  be  on  the  broad  ocean,  but  how  often  may  I  return  ? 
and  why  am  I  to  be  debarred  the  solace  of  a  smiling 
hearth  ? — and  yet — do  I  right  in  winning  the  affections 
of  one  who,  if  she  loves,  would,  I  am  convinced,  love 
so  dearly,  fondly,  truly — ought  I  to  persuade  her  to  mate 
herself  with  one  whose  life  will  be  so  precarious  ? — but 
is  not  every  sailor's  life  precarious,  daring  the  angry 
waves,  with  but  an  inch  of  plank  'tween  him  and  death  ? 
Besides,  I  am  chosen  to  fulfil  a  task — and  if  so,  what 
can  hurt  me,  till  in  Heaven's  own  time  it  is  accomplished  ? 
but  then  how  soon,  and  how  is  it  to  end  ? — in   death ! 


48  The  Phantom  Ship 

I  wish  my  blood  were  cooler,  that  I  might  reason 
better. 

Such  were  the  meditations  of  Philip  Vanderdecken,  and 
long  did  he  revolve  such  chances  in  his  mind.  At  last  the 
day  dawned,  and  as  he  perceived  the  blush  upon  the 
horizon,  less  careful  of  his  watch  he  slumbered  where  he 
sat.  A  slight  pressure  on  the  shoulder  made  him  start  up 
and  draw  the  pistol  from  his  bosom.  He  turned  round 
and  beheld  Amine. 

"  And  that  pistol  was  intended  for  me,"  said  Amine, 
smiling,  repeating  Philip's  words  of  the  night  before. 

"  For  you,  Amine  ? — yes,  to  defend  you,  if  'twere 
necessary,  once  more." 

"  I  know  it  would — how  kind  of  you  to  watch  this 
tedious  night  after  so  much  exertion  and  fatigue  !  but  it  is 
now  broad  day." 

"  Until  I  saw  the  dawn.  Amine,  I  kept  a  faithful 
watch." 

"But  now  retire  and  take  some  rest.  My  father  is 
risen — you  can  lie  down  on  his  bed." 

**  I  thank  you,  but  I  feel  no  wish  for  sleep.  There 
is  much  to  do.  We  must  to  the  burgomaster  and  state 
the  facts,  and  these  bodies  must  remain  where  they  are 
until  the  whole  is  known.  "Will  your  father  go.  Amine, 
or  shall  I  ?  " 

"  My  father  surely  is  the  more  proper  person,  as  the 
proprietor  of  the  house.  You  must  remain ;  and  if  you 
will  not  sleep,  you  must  take  some  refreshment.  I  will  go 
in  and  tell  my  father ;  he  has  already  taken  his  morning's 
meal." 

Amine  went  in,  and  soon  returned  with  her  father,  who 
had  consented  to  go  to  the  burgomaster.  He  saluted 
Philip  kindly  as  he  came  out ;  shuddered  as  he  passed  on 
one  side  to  avoid  stepping  over  the  dead  bodies,  and  went 
off  at  a  quick  pace  to  the  adjacent  town,  where  the  burgo- 
master resided. 

Amine  desired  Philip  to  follow  her,  and  they  went  into 
her  father's  room,  where,  to  his  surprise,  he  found  some 


The  Phantom  Ship  49 

coffee  ready  for  him — at  that  time  a  rarity,  and  one  which 
Philip  did  not  expect  to  find  in  the  house  of  the  penurious 
Mynheer  Poots  5  but  it  was  a  luxury  which,  from  his 
former  life,  the  old  man  could  not  dispense  with. 

Philip,  who  had  not  tasted  food  for  nearly  twenty-four 
hours,  was  not  sorry  to  avail  himself  of  what  was  placed 
before  him.  Amine  sat  down  opposite  to  him,  and  was 
silent  during  his  repast. 

"  Amine,"  said  Philip  at  last,  "  I  have  had  plenty  of 
time  for  reflection  during  this  night,  as  I  watched  at  the 
door.     May  I  speak  freely  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?  "  replied  Amine.  **  I  feel  assured  that  you 
wiU  say  nothing  that  you  should  not  say,  or  should  not 
meet  a  maiden's  ear." 

"  You  do  me  justice.  Amine.  My  thoughts  have  been 
upon  you  and  your  father.  You  cannot  stay  in  this  lone 
habitation." 

"  I  feel  it  is  too  lonely  ;  that  is,  for  his  safety — perhaps 
for  mine — but  you  know  my  father — the  very  loneliness 
suits  him,  the  price  paid  for  rent  is  little,  and  he  is  careful 
of  his  money." 

"  The  man  who  would  be  careful  of  his  money  should 
place  it  in  security — here  it  is  not  secure.  Now  hear  me, 
Amine.  I  have  a  cottage  surrounded,  as  you  may  have 
heard,  by  many  others,  which  mutually  protect  each  other. 
That  cottage  I  am  about  to  leave — perhaps  for  ever  ;  for  I 
intend  to  sail  by  the  first  ship  to  the  Indian  seas." 

**  The  Indian  seas  !  why  so  .? — did  you  not  last  night 
talk  of  thousands  of  guilders  ?  " 

"  I  did,  and  they  are  there ;  but.  Amine,  I  must  go — it 
is  my  duty.  Ask  me  no  more,  but  listen  to  what  I  now 
propose.  Your  father  must  live  in  my  cottage ;  he  must 
take  care  of  it  for  me  in  my  absence ;  he  will  do  me  a 
favour  by  consenting,  and  you  must  persuade  him.  You 
will  there  be  safe.  He  must  also  take  care  of  my  money 
for  me.     I  want  it  not  at  present — I  cannot  take  it  with  me." 

"  My  father  is  not  to  be  trusted  with  the  money  of 
other  people." 

p.s.  D 


50  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  Why  does  your  father  hoard  ?  He  cannot  take  his 
money  with  him  when  he  is  called  away.  It  must  be  all 
for  you — and  is  not  then  my  money  safe  ?  " 

**  Leave  it  then  in  my  charge,  and  it  will  be  safe ;  but 
why  need  you  go  and  risk  your  life  upon  the  water,  when 
you  have  such  ample  means  ?  " 

"Amine,  ask  not  that  question.  It  is  my  duty  as  a 
son,  and  more  I  cannot  tell,  at  least  at  present." 

"If  it  is  your  duty,  I  ask  no  more.  It  was  not 
womanish  curiosity — no,  no — it  was  a  better  feeling,  I 
assure  you,  which  prompted  me  to  put  the  question." 

"  And  what  was  the  better  feeling.  Amine  ?  " 

"I  hardly  know — many  good  feelings  perhaps  mixed 
up  together — gratitude,  esteem,  respect,  confidence,  good- 
will.    Are  not  these  sufficient  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  Amine,  and  much  to  gain  upon  so  short 
an  acquaintance ;  but  still  I  feel  them  all,  and  more,  for 
you.  If,  then,  you  feel  so  much  for  me,  do  oblige  me 
by  persuading  your  father  to  leave  this  lonely  house  this 
day,  and  take  up  his  abode  in  mine." 

"  And  where  do  you  intend  to  go  yourself?" 

"  If  your  father  will  not  admit  me  as  a  boarder  for  the 
short  time  I  remain  here,  I  will  seek  some  shelter  else- 
where; but  if  he  will,  I  will  indemnify  him  well^that 
is,  if  you  raise  no  objection  to  my  being  for  a  few  days 
in  the  house  ?  " 

"Why  should  I?  Our  habitation  is  no  longer  safe, 
and  you  offer  us  a  shelter.  It  were,  indeed,  unjust  and 
most  ungrateful  to  turn  you  out  from  beneath  your  own 
roof." 

"  Then  persuade  him.  Amine.  I  will  accept  of  nothing, 
but  take  it  as  a  favour;  for  I  should  depart  in  sorrow 
if  I  saw  you  not  in  safety. — Will  you  promise  me  ? " 

"I  do  promise  to  use  my  best  endeavours — nay,  I 
may  as  well  say  at  once  it  shall  be  so;  for  I  know  my 
influence.  Here  is  my  hand  upon  it.  Will  that  content 
you?" 

Philip  took  the  small  hand  extended  towards  him.     His 


The  Phantom  Ship  51 

feelings  overcame  his  discretion ;  he  raised  it  to  his  lips. 
He  looked  up  to  see  if  Amine  was  displeased,  and  found 
her  dark  eye  fixed  upon  him,  as  once  before  when  she 
admitted  him,  as  if  she  would  see  his  thoughts — but  the 
hand  was  not  withdrawn. 

**  Indeed,  Amine,"  said  Philip,  kissing  her  hand  once 
more,  **  you  may  confide  in  me." 

"I  hope — I  think — nay,  I  am  sure  I  may,"  at  last 
replied  she. 

Philip  released  her  hand.  Amine  returned  to  the  seat, 
and  for  some  time  remained  silent  and  in  a  pensive  attitude. 
Philip  also  had  his  own  thoughts,  and  did  not  open  his 
lips.     At  last  Amine  spoke. 

"  I  think  I  have  heard  my  father  say  that  your  mother 
was  very  poor — a  little  deranged ;  and  that  there  was  a 
chamber    in    the    house   which    had    been   shut  up  for 


It  was  shut  up  till  yesterday." 

**  And  there  you  found  your  money  ?  Did  your  mother 
not  know  of  the  money  ? " 

**  She  did,  for  she  spoke  of  it  on  her  death-bed." 

"  There  must  have  been  some  potent  reasons  for  not 
opening  the  chamber." 

'*  There  were." 

"What  were  they,  Philip?"  said  Amine,  in  a  soft  and 
low  tone  of  voice. 

"I  must  not  tell,  at  least  I  ought  not.  This  must 
satisfy  you — ^'twas  the  fear  of  an  apparition." 

**  What  apparition  ?  " 

"  She  said  that  my  father  had  appeared  to  her." 

"  And  did  he,  think  you,  Philip  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  did.  But  I  can  answer  no 
more  questions.  Amine.  The  chamber  is  open  now,  and 
there  is  no  fear  of  his  reappearance." 

"I  fear  not  that,"  replied  Amine,  musing.  "But," 
continued  she,  "  is  not  this  connected  with  your  resolution 
of  going  to  sea  ? " 

"  So  far  will  I  answer  you,  that  it  has  decided  me  to 


52  The  Phantom  Ship 

go  to  sea ;  but  I  pray  you  ask  no  more.  It  is  painful  to 
refuse  you,  and  my  duty  forbids  me  to  speak  further." 

For  some  minutes  they  were  both  silent,  when  Amine 
resumed — 

**  You  were  so  anxious  to  possess  that  relic,  that  I 
cannot  help  thinking  it  has  connection  with  the  mystery. 
Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

**  For  the  last  time,  Amine,  I  will  answer  your  question 
— it  has  to  do  with  it :  but  now  no  more." 

Philip's  blunt  and  almost  rude  manner  of  finishing  his 
speech  was  not  lost  upon  Amine,  who  replied, 

**  You  are  so  engrossed  with  other  thoughts,  that  you 
have  not  felt  the  compliment  shown  you  by  my  taking 
such  interest  about  you,  sir," 

"  Yes,  I  do — I  feel  and  thank  you  too.  Amine.  Forgive 
me,  if  I  have  been  rude ;  but  recollect,  the  secret  is  not 
mine — at  least,  I  feel  as  if  it  were  not.  God  knows,  I 
wish  I  never  had  known  it,  for  it  has  blasted  all  my  hopes 
in  life." 

Philip  was  silent;  and  when  he  raised  his  eyes,  he  found 
that  Amine's  were  fixed  upon  him. 

"Would  you  read  my  thoughts.  Amine,  or  my  secret?'^ 

**  Your  thoughts  perhaps — your  secret  I  would  not ; 
yet  do  I  grieve  that  it  should  oppress  you  so  heavily  as 
evidently  it  does.  It  must,  indeed,  be  one  of  awe  to  bear 
down  a  mind  like  yours,  Philip." 

"Where  did  you  learn  to  be  so  brave.  Amine?"  said 
Philip,  changing  the  conversation. 

"  Circumstances  make  people  brave  or  otherwise  ;  those 
who  are  accustomed  to  difficulty  and  danger  fear  them  not." 

"  And  where  have  you  met  with  them.  Amine  ?  " 

"  In  the  country  where  I  was  born,  not  in  this  dank  and 
muddy  land." 

"  Will  you  trust  me  with  the  story  of  your  former  life, 
Amine  ?  I  can  be  secret,  if  you  wish." 

"That  you  can  be  secret  perhaps,  against  my  wish,  you 
have  already  proved  to  me,"  replied  Amine,  smiling ;  "and 
you  have  a  claim  to  know  something  of  the  life  you  have 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^^ 

preserved.  I  cannot  tell  you  much,  but  what  I  can  will 
be  sufficient.  My  father,  when  a  lad  on  board  of  a  trading 
vessel,  was  taken  by  the  Moors,  and  sold  as  a  slave  to  a 
Hakim,  or  physician,  of  their  country.  Finding  him  very 
intelligent,  the  Moor  brought  him  up  as  an  assistant,  and 
it  was  under  this  man  that  he  obtained  a  knowledge  of  the 
art.  In  a  few  years  he  was  equal  to  his  master ;  but,  as  a 
slave,  he  worked  not  for  himself.  You  know,  indeed  it 
cannot  be  concealed,  my  father's  avarice.  He  sighed  to 
become  as  wealthy  as  his  master,  and  to  obtain  his  freedom-; 
he  became  a  follower  of  Mahomet,  after  which  he  was 
free,  and  practised  for  himself.  He  took  a  wife  from  an 
Arab  family,  the  daughter  of  a  chief  whom  he  had  restored 
to  health,  and  he  settled  in  the  country.  I  was  born ;  he 
amassed  wealth,  and  became  much  celebrated;  but  the 
son  of  a  Bey  dying  under  his  hands  was  the  excuse  for 
persecuting  him.  His  head  was  forfeited,  but  he  escaped ; 
not,  however,  without  the  loss  of  all  his  beloved  wealth. 
My  mother  and  I  went  with  him ;  he  fled  to  the  Bedouins, 
with  whom  we  remained  some  years.  There  I  was 
accustomed  to  rapid  marches,  wild  and  fierce  attacks, 
defeat  and  flight,  and  oftentimes  to  indiscriminate 
slaughter.  But  the  Bedouins  paid  not  well  for  my  father's 
services,  and  gold  was  his  idol.  Hearing  that  the  Bey 
was  dead,  he  returned  to  Cairo,  where  he  again  practised. 
He  was  allowed  once  more  to  amass  until  the  heap  was 
sufficient  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  the  new  Bey ;  but  this 
time  he  was  fortunately  made  acquainted  with  the  inten- 
tions of  the  ruler.  He  again  escaped,  with  a  portion  of 
his  wealth,  in  a  small  vessel,  and  gained  the  Spanish  coast; 
but  he  never  has  been  able  to  retain  his  money  long. 
Before  he  arrived  in  this  country  he  had  been  robbed  of 
almost  all,  and  has  now  been  for  these  three  years  laying 
up  again.  We  were  but  one  year  at  Middleburgh,  and 
from  thence  removed  to  this  place.  Such  is  the  history  of 
my  life,  Philip." 

**  And  does  your  father  still  hold  the  Mahomedan  faith, 
Amine  .^" 


54  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  I  know  not.  I  think  he  holds  no  faith  whatever :  at 
least  he  hath  taught  me  none.     His  god  is  gold." 

"And  yours?" 

"Is  the  God  who  made  this  beautiful  world,  and  all 
which  it  contains — the  God  of  nature — name  him  as  you 
will.  This  I  feel,  Philip,  but  more  I  fain  would  know ; 
there  are  so  many  faiths,  but  surely  they  must  be  but 
different  paths  leading  alike  to  heaven.  Yours  is  the 
Christian  faith,  Philip.  Is  it  the  true  one  ?  But  everyone 
calls  his  own  the  true  one,  whatever  his  creed  may  be." 

"It  is  the  true  and  only  one,  Amine.  Could  I  but 
reveal — I  have  such  dreadful  proofs " 

"  That  your  faith  is  true  ;  then  is  it  not  your  duty  to 
reveal  these  proofs  ?  Tell  me,  are  you  bound  by  any 
solemn  obligation  never  to  reveal  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  not ;  yet  do  I  feel  as  if  I  were.  But  I  hear 
voices — it  must  be  your  father  and  the  authorities — I  must 
go  down  and  meet  them." 

Philip  rose,  and  went  downstairs.  Amine's  eyes 
followed  him  as  he  went,  and  she  remained  looking 
towards  the  door. 

"Is  it  possible,"  said  she,  sweeping  the  hair  from  off 
her  brow,  "  so  soon, — yes,  yes,  'tis  even  so.  I  feel  that  I 
would  sooner  share  his  hidden  woe — his  dangers — even 
death  itself  were  preferable  with  him,  than  ease  and 
happiness  with  any  other.  And  it  shall  be  strange  indeed 
if  I  do  not.  This  night  my  father  shall  move  into  his 
cottage  :  I  will  prepare  at  once." 

The  report  of  Philip  and  Mynheer  Poots  was  taken 
down  by  the  authorities,  the  bodies  examined,  and  one  or 
two  of  them  recognised  as  well-known  marauders.  They 
were  then  removed  by  the  order  of  the  burgomaster.  The 
authorities  broke  up  their  council,  and  Philip  and  Mynheer 
Poots  were  permitted  to  return  to  Amine.  It  will  not  be 
necessary  to  repeat  the  'conversation  which  ensued :  it  will 
be  sufficient  to  state  that  Poots  yielded  to  the  arguments 
employed  by  Amine  and  Philip,  particularly  the  one  of 
paying   no   rent.     A   conveyance   for   the   furniture   and 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^^ 

medicines  was  procured,  and  in  the  afternoon  most  of  the 
effects  were  taken  away.  It  was  not,  however,  till  dusk 
that  the  strong  box  of  the  doctor  was  put  into  the  cart, 
and  Philip  went  with  it  as  a  protector.  Amine  also  walked 
by  the  side  of  the  vehicle,  with  her  father.  As  may  be 
supposed,  it  was  late  that  night  before  they  had  made 
their  arrangements,  and  had  retired  to  rest. 


Chapter  VI 

**This,  then,  is  the  chamber  which  has  so  long  been 
closed,"  said  Amine,  on  entering  it  the  next  morning,  long 
before  Philip  had  awakened  from  the  sound  sleep  produced 
by  the  watching  of  the  night  before.  "  Yes,  indeed,  it  has 
the  air  of  having  long  been  closed."  Amine  looked  around 
her,  and  then  examined  the  furniture.  Her  eyes  were 
attracted  to  the  bird-cages  ;  she  looked  into  them  : — "  Poor 
little  things  !  "  continued  she,  "  and  here  it  was  his  father 
appeared  unto  his  mother.  Well,  it  may  be  so, — Philip 
saith  that  he  hath  proofs ;  and  why  should  he  not  appear  ? 
Were  Philip  dead,  I  should  rejoice  to  see  his  spirit, — at 
least  it  would  be  something.  What  am  I  saying — un- 
faithful lips,  thus  to  betray  my  secret  ? — The  table  thrown 
over  ; — that  looks  like  the  work  of  fear  ;  a  workbox,  with 
all  its  implements  scattered, — only  a  woman's  fear :  a 
mouse  might  have  caused  all  this ;  and  yet  there  is  some- 
thing solemn  in  the  simple  fact  that,  for  so  many  years,  not 
a  living  being  has  crossed  these  boards.  Even  that  a  table 
thus  overthrown  could  thus  remain  for  years,  seems 
scarcely  natural,  and  therefore  has  its  power  on  the  mind. 
I  wonder  not  that  Philip  feels  there  is  so  heavy  a  secret 
belonging  to  this  room — but  it  must  not  remain  in  this 
condition — it  must  be  occupied  at  once." 

Amine,  who  had  long  been  accustomed  to  attend  upon 
her  father,  and  perform  the  household  duties,  now 
commenced  her  intended  labours. 


^6  The  Phantom  Ship 

Every  part  of  the  room,  and  every  piece  of  furniture  in 
it,  were  cleaned ;  even  the  cobwebs  and  dust  were  cleared 
away,  and  the  sofa  and  table  brought  from  the  corner  to 
the  centre  of  the  room ;  the  melancholy  little  prisons  were 
removed ;  and  when  Amine's  work  of  neatness  was 
complete,  and  the  sun  shone  brightly  into  the  opened 
window,  the  chamber  wore  the  appearance  of  cheerfulness. 

Amine  had  the  intuitive  good  sense  to  feel  that  strong 
impressions  wear  away  when  the  objects  connected  with 
them  are  removed.  She  resolved  then  to  make  Philip 
more  at  ease  ;  for,  with  all  the  fire  and  warmth  of  blood 
inherent  in  her  race,  she  had  taken  his  image  to  her  heart, 
and  was  determined  to  win  him.  Again  and  again  did  she 
resume  her  labour,  until  the  pictures  about  the  room,  and 
every  other  article,  looked  fresh  and  clean. 

Not  only  the  bird-cages,  but  the  workbox,  and  all  the 
implements,  were  removed  j  and  the  piece  of  embroidery, 
the  taking  up  of  which  had  made  Philip  recoil,  as  if  he  had 
touched  an  adder,  was  put  away  with  the  rest.  Philip  had 
left  the  keys  on  the  floor.  Amine  opened  the  buffets, 
cleaned  the  glazed  doors,  and  was  busy  rubbing  up  the 
silver  flagons  when  her  father  came  into  the  room. 

**  Mercy  on  me  !  "  exclaimed  Mynheer  Poots  ;  "  and  is  all 
that  silver  ? — then  it  must  be  true,  and  he  has  thousands 
of  guilders  ;  but  where  are  they  ?  " 

"  Never  do  you  mind,  father ;  yours  are  now  safe,  and 
for  that  you  have  to  thank  Philip  Vanderdecken." 

"  Yes,  very  true;  but  as  he  is  to  live  here — does  he  eat 
much — what  will  he  pay  me  ?  He  ought  to  pay  well,  as  he 
has  so  much  money." 

Amine's  lips  were  curled  with  a  contemptuous  smile, 
but  she  made  no  reply. 

"  I  wonder  where  he  keeps  his  money  ;  and  he  is  going 
to  sea  as  soon  as  he  can  get  a  ship  ?  Who  will  have 
charge  of  his  money  when  he  goes  ? " 

**  I  shall  take  charge  of  it,  father,"  replied  Amine. 

*<  Ah — yes — well — we  will  take  charge  of  it  j  the  ship 
may  be  lost." 


The  Phantom  Ship  57 

<*  No,  ive  will  not  take  charge  of  it,  father ;  you  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it.     Look  after  your  own.*' 

Amine  placed  the  silver  in  the  buffets,  locked  the 
doors,  and  took  the  keys  with  her  when  she  went  out 
to  prepare  breakfast,  leaving  the  old  man  gazing  through 
the  glazed  doors  at  the  precious  metal  within.  His  eyes 
were  riveted  upon  it,  and  he  could  not  remove  them. 
Every  minute  he  muttered,  **  Yes,  all  silver." 

Philip  came  downstairs  ;  and  as  he  passed  by  the  room, 
intending  to  go  into  the  kitchen,  he  perceived  Mynheer 
Poots  at  the  buffet,  and  he  walked  into  the  room.  Kfe 
was  surprised  as  well  as  pleased  with  the  alteration.  He 
felt  why  and  by  whom  it  was  done,  and  he  was  grateful. 
Amine  came  in  with  the  breakfast,  and  their  eyes  spok€ 
more  than  their  lips  could  have  done  5  and  Philip  sat 
down  to  his  meal  with  less  of  sorrow  and  gloom  upon 
his  brow. 

"Mynheer  Poots,"  said  Philip,  as  soon  as  he  had 
finished,  "I  intend  to  leave  you  in  possession  of  my 
cottage,  and  I  trust  you  will  find  yourself  comfortable. 
What  little  arrangements  are  necessary,  I  will  confide 
to  your  daughter  previous  to  my  departure." 

**Then  you  leave  us,  Mr  Philip,  to  go  to  sea?  It 
must  be  pleasant  to  go  and  see  strange  countries — much 
better  than  staying  at  home.     When  do  you  go  ?  " 

**  I  shall  leave  this  evening  for  Amsterdam,"  replied 
Philip,  "  to  make  my  arrangements  about  a  ship,  but  I 
shall  return,  I  think,  before  I  sail." 

**  Ah !  you  will  return.  Yes — you  have  your  money 
and  your  goods  to  see  to ;  you  must  count  your  money 
— we  will  take  good  care  of  it.  Where  is  your  money, 
Mr  Vanderdecken  ?  " 

**  That  I  will  communicate  to  your  daughter  this  fore- 
noon, before  I  leave.  In  three  weeks  at  the  furthest  you 
may  expect  me  back." 

"Father,"  said  Amine,  "you  promised  to  go  and  see 
the  child  of  the  burgomaster  5  it  is  time  you  went." 

"  Yes,  yes — by-and-bye — all  in  good  time  j  but  I  must 


^S  The  Phantom  Ship 

wait  the  pleasure  of  Mr  Philip  first — ^he  has  much  to  tell 
me  before  he  goes." 

Philip  could  not  help  smiling  when  he  remembered 
what  had  passed  when  he  first  summoned  Mynheer  Poots 
to  the  cottage,  but  the  remembrance  ended  in  sorrow 
and  a  clouded  brow. 

Amine,  who  knew  what  was  passing  in  the  minds  of 
both  her  father  and  Philip,  now  brought  her  father's  hat, 
and  led  him  to  the  door  of  the  cottage;  and  Mynheer 
Poots,  very  much  against  his  inclination,  but  never  dis- 
puting the  will  of  his  daughter,  was  obliged  to  depart. 

"  So  soon,  Philip  ? "  said  Amine,  returning  to  the 
room. 

**  Yes,  Amine,  immediately.  But  I  trust  to  be  back 
once  more  before  I  sail ;  if  not,  you  must  now  have  my 
instructions.     Give  me  the  keys." 

Philip  opened  the  cupboard  below  the  buffet,  and  the 
doors  of  the  iron  safe. 

"  There,  Amine,  is  my  money ;  we  need  not  count  it, 
as  your  father  would  propose.  You  see  that  I  was  right 
when  I  asserted  that  I  had  thousands  of  guilders.  At 
present  they  are  of  no  use  to  me,  as  I  have  to  learn  my 
profession.  Should  I  return  some  day,  they  may  help 
me  to  own  a  ship.     I  know  not  what  my  destiny  may  be." 

"  And  should  you  not  return  ?  "  replied  Amine,  gravely. 

"Then  they  are  yours — as  well  as  all  that  is  in  this 
cottage,  and  the  cottage  itself." 

"  You  have  relations,  have  you  not  ?  " 

"But  one,  who  is  rich;  an  uncle,  who  helped  us  but 
little  in  our  distress,  and  who  has  no  children.  I  owe 
him  but  little,  and  he  wants  nothing.  There  is  but  one 
being  in  this  world  who  has  created  an  interest  in  this 
heart.  Amine,  and  it  is  you.  I  wish  you  to  look  upon 
me  as  a  brother — I  shall  always  love  you  as  a  dear 
sister." 

Amine  made  no  reply.  Philip  took  some  more  money 
out  of  the  bag  which  had  been  opened,  for  the  expenses 
of  his  journey,  and  then  locking  up  the  safe  and  cupboard. 


The  Phantom  Ship  59 

gave  the  keys  to  Amine.  He  was  about  to  address  her, 
when  there  was  a  slight  knock  at  the  door,  and  in  entered 
Father  Seysen,  the  priest. 

"  Save  you,  my  son  ;  and  you,  my  child,  whom  as  yet  I 
have  not  seen.  You  are,  I  suppose,  the  daughter  of 
Mynheer  Foots  ?  " 

Amine  bowed  her  head. 

**  I  perceive,  Philip,  that  the  room  is  now  opened,  and 
I  have  heard  of  all  that  has  passed.  I  would  now  talk  with 
thee,  Philip,  and  must  beg  this  maiden  to  leave  us  for 
awhile  alone." 

Amine  quitted  the  room,  and  the  priest,  sitting  down  on 
the  couch,  beckoned  Philip  to  his  side.  The  conversation 
which  ensued  was  too  long  to  repeat.  The  priest  first 
questioned  Philip  relative  to  his  secret,  but  on  that  point 
he  could  not  obtain  the  information  which  he  wished ; 
Philip  stated  as  much  as  he  did  to  Amine,  and  no  more. 
He  also  declared  his  intention  of  going  to  sea,  and  that, 
should  he  not  return,  he  had  bequeathed  his  property — 
the  extent  of  which  he  did  not  make  known — to  the 
doctor  and  his  daughter.  The  priest  then  made  inquiries 
relative  to  Mynheer  Poots,  asking  Philip  whether  he  knew 
what  his  creed  was,  as  he  had  never  appeared  at  any 
church,  and  report  said  that  he  was  an  infidel.  To  this 
Philip,  as  usual,  gave  his  frank  answer,  and  intimated  that 
the  daughter,  at  least,  was  anxious  to  be  enlightened, 
begging  the  priest  to  undertake  a  task  to  which  he  him- 
self was  not  adequate.  To  this  request  Father  Seysen, 
who  perceived  the  state  of  Philip's  mind  with  regard  to 
Amine,  readily  consented.  After  a  conversation  of  nearly 
two  hours,  they  were  interrupted  by  the  return  of  Mynheer 
Poots,  who  darted  out  of  the  room  the  instant  he  perceived 
Father  Seysen.  Philip  called  Amine,  and  having  begged 
her  as  a  favour  to  receive  the  priest's  visits,  the  good  old 
man  blessed  them  both  and  departed. 

"  You  did  not  give  him  any  money,  Mr  Philip  ? " 
said  Mynheer  Poots,  when  Father  Seysen  had  left  the 
room. 


6o  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  I  did  notj"  replied  Philip  j  "  I  wish  I  had  thought  of 
it." 

"No,  no — it  is  better  not — for  money  is  better  than 
what  he  can  give  you  ;  but  he  must  not  come  here." 

"  Why  not,  father,"  replied  Amine,  **  if  Mr  Philip  wishes 
it  ?     It  is  his  own  house." 

**  O  yes,  if  Mr  Philip  wishes  it ;  but  you  know  he  is 
going  away." 

"  Well,  and  suppose  he  is — why  should  not  the  Father 
come  here  ?     He  shall  come  here  to  see  me." 

"  See  you,  my  child ! — what  can  he  want  with  you  ? 
Well,  then,  if  he  comes,  I  will  not  give  him  one  stiver — 
and  then  he'll  soon  go  away." 

Philip  had  no  opportunity  of  further  converse  with 
Amine  5  indeed  he  had  nothing  more  to  say.  In  an  hour 
he  bade  her  farewell  in  presence  of  her  father,  who  would 
not  leave  them,  hoping  to  obtain  from  Philip  some  communi- 
cation about  the  money  which  he  was  to  leave  behind 
him. 

In  two  days  Philip  arrived  at  Amsterdam,  and  having 
made  the  necessary  inquiries,  found  that  there  was  no 
chance  of  vessels  sailing  for  the  East  Indies  for  some 
months.  The  Dutch  East  India  Company  had  long  been 
formed,  and  all  private  trading  was  at  an  end.  The 
Company's  vessels  left  only  at  what  was  supposed  to  be  the 
most  favourable  season  for  rounding  the  Cape  of  Storms,  as 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  designated  by  the  early 
adventurers.  One  of  the  ships  which  were  to  sail  with  the 
next  fleet  was  the  Ter  Schil/ifjg,  a  three-masted  vessel,  now 
laid  up  and  unrigged. 

Philip  found  out  the  captain,  and  stated  his  wishes  to 
sail  with  him,  to  learn  his  profession  as  a  seaman;  the 
captain  was  pleased  with  his  appearance,  and  as  Philip  not 
only  agreed  to  receive  no  wages  during  the  voyage,  but  to 
pay  a  premium  as  an  apprentice  learning  his  duty,  he  was 
promised  a  berth  on  board  as  the  secoud  mate,  to  mess  in  the 
cabin ;  and  he  was  told  that  he  should  be  informed  when- 
ever the  vessel  was  to  sail.    Philip  having  now  done  all  that 


The  Phantom  Ship  6i 

he  could  in  obedience  to  his  vow,  determined  to  return  to  the 
cottage  ;  and  once  more  he  was  in  the  company  of  Amine. 

We  must  now  pass  over  two  months,  during  which 
Mynheer  Foots  continued  to  labour  at  his  vocation,  and 
was  seldom  within  doors,  and  our  two  young  friends 
were  left  for  hours  together.  Philip's  love  for  Amine  was 
fully  equal  to  hers  for  him.  It  was  more  than  love — it  was 
a  devotion  on  both  sides,  each  day  increasing.  Who,  in- 
deed, could  be  more  charming,  more  attractive  in  all  ways 
than  the  high-spirited,  yet  tender  Amine  ?  Occasionally 
the  brow  of  Philip  would  be  clouded  when  he  reflected 
upon  the  dark  prospect  before  him  ;  but  Amine's  smile 
would  chase  away  the  gloom,  and,  as  he  gazed  on  her,  all 
would  be  forgotten.  Amine  made  no  secret  of  her  attach- 
ment ;  it  was  shown  in  every  word,  every  look,  and  every 
gesture.  When  Philip  would  take  her  hand,  or  encircle 
her  waist  with  his  arm,  or  even  when  he  pressed  her  coral 
lips,  there  was  no  pretence  of  coyness  on  her  part.  She 
was  too  noble,  too  confiding ;  she  felt  that  her  happiness 
was  centred  in  his  love,  and  she  lived  but  in  his  presence. 
Two  months  had  thus  passed  away,  when  Father  Seysen, 
who  often  called,  and  had  paid  much  attention  to  Amine's 
instruction,  one  day  came  in  as  Amine  was  encircled  in 
Philip's  arms. 

"  My  children,"  said  he,  **  I  have  watched  you  for  some 
time :  this  is  not  well.  Philip,  if  you  intend  marriage,  as 
I  presume  you  do,  still  it  is  dangerous.  I  must  join  your 
hands." 

Philip  started  up. 

"  Surely  I  am  not  deceived  in  thee,  my  son,"  continued 
the  priest,  in  a  severe  tone. 

"  No,  no,  good  Father  ;  but  I  pray  you  leave  me  now  : 
to-morrow  you  may  come,  and  all  will  be  decided.  But  I 
must  talk  with  Amine." 

The  priest  quitted  the  room,  and  Amine  and  Philip  were 
again  alone.  The  colour  in  Amine's  cheek  varied  and  her 
heart  beat,  for  she  felt  how  much  her  happiness  was  at 
stake. 


62  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  The  priest  is  right,  Amine,"  said  Philip,  sitting  down 
by  her.  "This  cannot  last; — would  that  I  could  ever 
stay  with  you :  how  hard  a  fate  is  mine !  You  know  I 
love  the  very  ground  you  tread  upon,  yet  I  dare  not  ask 
thee  to  wed  to  misery." 

"  To  wed  with  thee  would  not  be  wedding  misery, 
Philip,"  replied  Amine,  with  downcast  eyes. 

**  'Twere  not  kindness  on  my  part,  Amine.  I  should 
indeed  be  selfish." 

**  I  will  speak  plainly,  Philip,"  replied  Amine.  **  You 
say  you  love  me, — I  know  not  how  men  love, — but  this 
I  know,  how  I  can  love.  I  feel  that  to  leave  me  now 
were  indeed  unkind  and  selfish  on  your  part ;  for,  Philip, 
I — I  should  die.  You  say  that  you  must  go  away, — that 
fate  demands  it, — and  your  fatal  secret.  Be  it  so  j— but 
cannot  I  go  with  you  ?  " 

*'  Go  with  me.  Amine — unto  death  ?  " 

**  Yes,  death  ;  for  what  is  death  but  a  release  ?  I  fear 
not  death,  Philip  ;  I  fear  but  losing  thee.  Nay,  more  ;  is 
not  your  life  in  the  hands  of  Him  who  made  all  ?  then  why 
so  sure  to  die  ?  You  have  hinted  to  me  that  you  are 
chosen — selected  for  a  task ; — if  chosen,  there  is  less 
chance  of  death  ;  for  until  the  end  be  fulfilled,  if  chosen, 
you  must  live.  I  would  I  knew  your  secret,  Philip :  a 
woman's  wit  might  serve  you  well :  and  if  it  did  not  serve 
you,  is  there  no  comfort,  no  pleasure,  in  sharing  sorrow  as 
well  as  joy  with  one  you  say  you  dote  upon  ?  " 

**  Amine,  dearest  Amine  ;  it  is  my  love,  my  ardent  love 
alone,  which  makes  me  pause  :  for,  O  Amine,  what  plea- 
sure should  I  feel  if  we  were  this  hour  united  !  I  hardly 
know  what  to  say,  or  what  to  do.  I  could  not  withhold 
my  secret  from  you  if  you  were  my  wife,  nor  will  I  wed 
you  till  you  know  it.  "Well,  Amine,  I  will  cast  my  all 
upon  the  die.  You  shall  know  this  secret,  learn  what  a 
doomed  wretch  I  am,  though  from  no  fault  of  mine,  and 
then  you  yourself  shall  decide.  But  remember,  my  oath 
is  registered  in  heaven,  and  I  must  not  be  dissuaded  from 
it  J  keep  that  in  mind,  and  hear  my  tale, — then  if  you 


The  Phantom  Ship  6^ 

<:hoose  to  wed  with  one  whose  prospects  are  so  bitter,  be 
it  so, — a  short-lived  happiness  will  then  be  mine,  but  for 
you,  Amine " 

"  At  once  the  secret,  Philip,"  cried  Amine,  impatiently. 

Philip  then  entered  into  a  detail  of  what  our  readers  are 
acquainted  with.  Amine  listened  in  silence  ;  not  a  change 
of  feature  was  to  be  observed  in  her  countenance  during 
the  narrative.  Philip  wound  up  with  stating  the  oath 
which  he  had  taken.  **  I  have  done,"  said  Philip,  mourn- 
fully. 

"  'Tis  a  strange  story,  Philip,"  replied  Amine :  "  and 
now  hear  me ; — but  give  me  first  that  relic, — I  wish  to 
look  upon  it.  And  can  there  be  such  virtue — I  had  nigh 
said,  such  mischief — in  this  little  thing  .?  Strange  ;  for- 
give me,  Philip,— but  I've  still  my  doubts  upon  this  tale  of 
JSb/is.  You  know  I  am  not  yet  strong  in  the  new  belief 
which  you  and  the  good  priest  have  lately  taught  me. 
I  do  not  say  that  it  cannot  be  true  :  but  still,  one  so  un- 
settled as  I  am  may  be  allowed  to  waver.  But,  Philip,  I'll 
assume  that  all  is  true.  Then,  if  it  be  true,  without  the 
oath  you  would  be  doing  but  your  duty ;  and  think  not  so 
meanly  of  Amine  as  to  suppose  she  would  restrain  you 
from  what  is  right.  No,  Philip,  seek  your  father,  and,  if 
you  can,  and  he  requires  your  aid,  then  save  him.  But, 
Philip,  do  you  imagine  that  a  task  like  this,  so  high,  is  to 
be  accomplished  at  one  trial  ?  O  !  no  ; — if  you  have  been 
so  chosen  to  fulfil  it,  you  will  be  preserved  through  diffi- 
culty and  danger  until  you  have  worked  out  your  end. 
You  will  be  preserved,  and  you  will  again  and  again 
return  ; — be  comforted — consoled — be  cherished — and  be 
loved  by  Amine  as  your  wife.  And  when  it  pleases  Him 
to  call  you  from  this  world,  your  memory,  if  she  survive 
you,  Philip,  will  equally  be  cherished  in  her  bosom. 
Philip,  you  have  given  me  to  decide  5 — dearest  Philip,  I 
am  thine." 

Amine  extended  her  arms,  and  Philip  pressed  her  to  his 
bosom.  That  evening  Philip  demanded  his  daughter  of 
the  father,  and  Mynheer  Poots,  as  soon  as  Philip  opened 


64  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  iron  safe  and  displayed  the  guilders,  gave  his  immediate 
consent. 

Father  Seysen  called  the  next  day  and  received  his 
answer ;  and  three  days  afterwards,  the  bells  of  the  little 
church  of  Terneuse  were  ringing  a  merry  peal  for  the 
union  of  Amine  Foots  and  Philip  Vanderdecken. 


Chapter  VII 

It  was  not  until  late  in  the  autumn  that  Philip  was  roused 
from  his  dream  of  love  (for  what,  alas  !  is  every  enjoyment 
of  this  life  but  a  dream  ?)  by  a  summons  from  the  captain 
of  the  vessel  with  whom  he  had  engaged  to  sail.  Strange 
as  it  may  appear,  from  the  first  day  which  put  him  in 
possession  of  his  Amine,  Philip  had  no  longer  brooded 
over  his  future  destiny :  occasionally  it  was  recalled  to  hia 
memory,  but  immediately  rejected,  and,  for  the  time, 
forgotten.  Sufficient  he  thought  it  to  fulfil  his  engage- 
ment  when  the  time  should  come ;  and  although  the  hours 
flew  away,  and  day  succeeded  day,  week  week,  and  month 
month,  with  the  rapidity  accompanying  a  life  of  quiet  and 
unvarying  bliss,  Philip  forgot  his  vow  in  the  arms  of 
Amine,  who  was  careful  not  to  revert  to  a  topic  which 
would  cloud  the  brow  of  her  adored  husband.  Once, 
indeed,  or  twice,  had  old  Poots  raised  the  question  of 
Philip's  departure,  but  the  indignant  frown  and  the 
imperious  command  of  Amine  (who  knew  too  well  the 
sordid  motives  which  actuated  her  father,  and  who,  at 
such  times,  looked  upon  him  with  abhorrence)  made  him 
silent,  and  the  old  man  would  spend  his  leisure  hours  in 
walking  up  and  down  the  parlour  with  his  eyes  riveted 
upon  the  buffets,  where  the  silver  tankards  now  beamed  in 
all  their  pristine  brightness. 

One  morning,  in  the  month  of  October,  there  was  a 
tapping  with  the  knuckles  at  the  cottage  door.  As  this 
precaution  implied  a  stranger.  Amine  obeyed  the  summons. 


The  Phantom  Ship  6^ 

"I  would  speak  with  Master  Philip  Vanderdecken," 
said  the  stranger,  in  a  half- whispering  sort  of  voice. 

The  party  who  thus  addressed  Amine  was  a  little 
meagre  personage,  dressed  in  the  garb  of  the  Dutch 
seamen  of  the  time,  with  a  cap  made  of  badger-skin 
hanging  over  his  brow.  His  features  were  sharp  and 
diminutive,  his  face  of  a  deadly  white,  his  lips  pale,  and 
his  hair  of  a  mixture  between  red  and  white.  He  had 
very  little  show  of  beard — indeed,  it  was  almost  difficult 
to  say  what  his  age  might  be.  He  might  have  been  a 
sickly  youth  early  sinking  into  decrepitude,  or  an  old  man, 
hale  in  constitution,  yet  carrying  no  flesh.  But  the  most 
important  feature,  and  that  which  immediately  riveted  the 
attention  of  Amine,  was  the  eye  of  this  peculiar  personage 
—for  he  had  but  one  j  the  right  eye-lid  was  closed,  and 
the  ball  within  had  evidently  wasted  away ;  but  his  left 
eye  was,  for  the  size  of  his  face  and  head,  of  unusual 
dimensions,  very  protuberant,  clear  and  watery,  and  most 
unpleasant  to  look  upon,  being  relieved  by  no  fringe  of 
eyelash  either  above  or  below  it.  So  remarkable  was  the 
feature,  that  when  you  looked  at  the  man,  you  saw  his  eye 
and  looked  at  nothing  else.  It  was  not  a  man  with  one 
eye,  but  one  eye  with  a  man  attached  to  it :  the  body  was 
but  the  tower  of  the  lighthouse,  of  no  further  value,  and 
commanding  no  further  attention,  than  does  the  structure 
which  holds  up  the  beacon  to  the  venturous  mariner;  and 
yet,  upon  examination,  you  would  have  perceived  that  the 
man,  although  small,  was  neatly  made  ;  that  his  hands  were 
very  different  in  texture  and  colour  from  those  of  common 
seamen ;  that  his  features  in  general,  although  sharp,  were 
regular ;  and  that  there  was  an  air  of  superiority  even  in 
the  obsequious  manner  of  the  little  personage,  and  an 
indescribable  something  about  his  whole  appearance  which 
almost  impressed  you  with  awe.  Amine's  dark  eyes  were 
for  a  moment  fixed  upon  the  visitor,  and  she  felt  a  chill  at 
her  heart  for  which  she  could  not  account,  as  she  requested 
that  he  would  walk  in. 

Philip  was  greatly  surprised  at  the  appearance  of  the 
p.s.  E 


66  The  Phantom  Ship 

stranger,  who,  as  soon  as  he  entered  the  room,  without 
saying  a  word,  sat  down  on  the  sofa  by  Philip  in  the  place 
which  Amine  had  just  left.  To  Philip  there  was  some- 
thing ominous  in  this  person  taking  Amine's  seat ;  all  that 
had  passed  rushed  into  his  recollection,  and  he  felt  that 
there  was  a  summons  from  his  short  existence  of  enjoy- 
ment and  repose  to  a  life  of  future  activity,  danger,  and 
suffering.  What  peculiarly  struck  Philip  was,  that  when 
the  little  man  sat  beside  him,  a  sensation  of  sudden  cold 
ran  through  his  whole  frame.  The  colour  fled  from 
Philip's  cheek,  but  he  spoke  not.  For  a  minute  or  two 
there  was  a  silence.  The  one-eyed  visitor  looked  round 
him,  and  turning  from  the  buffets  he  fixed  his  eyes  on  the 
form  of  Amine,  who  stood  before  him  ;  at  last  the  silence 
was  broken  by  a  sort  of  giggle  on  the  part  of  the  stranger, 
which  ended  in — 

**  Philip  Vanderdecken — he  !  he  ! — ^Philip  Vanderdecken, 
you  don't  know  me  ?  " 

**  I  do  not,"  replied  Philip,  in  a  half-angry  tone. 

The  vdce  of  the  little  man  was  most  peculiar — it  was  a 
sort  of  subdued  scream,  the  notes  of  which  sounded  in  your 
ear  long  after  he  had  ceased  to  speak. 

"  I  am  Schriften,  one  of  the  pilots  of  the  Ter  Schilling,^^ 
continued  the  man  5  "  and  I'm  come — ^he !  he  !  " — and  he 
looked  hard  at  Amine — "  to  take  you  away  from  love  " — and 
looking  at  the  buffets — "  he !  he  !  from  comfort,  and  from 
this  also,"  cried  he,  stamping  his  foot  on  the  floor  as  he 
rose  from  the  sofa — "  from  terra  firma — he  !  he  ! — to  a 
watery  grave  perhaps.  Pleasant !  "  continued  Schriften, 
with  a  giggle  j  and  with  a  countenance  full  of  meaning  he 
fixed  his  one  eye  on  Philip's  face. 

Philip's  first  impulse  was  to  put  his  new  visitor  out  of 
the  door ;  but  Amine,  who  read  his  thoughts,  folded  her 
arms  as  she  stood  before  the  Httle  man,  and  eyed  him  with 
contempt,  as  she  observed : — 

"  We  all  must  meet  our  fate,  good  fellow ;  and, 
whether  by  land  or  sea,  death  will  have  his  due.  If 
death     stare     him    in    the    face,    the    cheek    of   Philip 


The  Phantom  Ship  6^ 

Vanderdecken  will  never  turn  as  white  as  yours  is 
now." 

"  Indeed  !  "  replied  Schriften,  evidently  annoyed  at  this 
cool  determination  on  the  part  of  one  so  young  and 
beautiful ;  and  then  fixing  his  eye  upon  the  silver  shrine  of 
the  Virgin  on  the  mantel-piece — "  You  are  a  Catholic,  I 
perceive — he !  " 

"I  am  a  Catholic,"  replied  Philip ;  "  but  does  that 
concern  you  ?     When  does  the  vessel  sail  ?  " 

"  In  a  week — he  !  he  ! — only  a  week  for  preparation — 
only  seven  days  to  leave  all — short  notice  I  " 

"More  than  sufficient,"  replied  Philip,  rising  up  from 
the  sofa.  "  You  may  tell  your  captain  that  I  shall  not  fail. 
Come,  Amine,  we  must  lose  no  time." 

**No,  indeed,"  replied  Amine,  **and  our  first  duty  is 
hospitality  :  Mynheer,  may  we  offer  you  refreshment  after 
your  walk  ?  " 

"  This  day  week,"  said  Schriften,  addressing  Philip,  and 
without  making  a  reply  to  Amine.  Philip  nodded  his  head, 
the  little  man  turned  on  his  heel  and  left  the  room,  and  in 
a  short  time  was  out  of  sight. 

Amine  sank  down  on  the  sofa.  The  breaking-up  of  her 
short  hour  of  happiness  had  been  too  sudden,  too  abrupt, 
and  too  cruelly  brought  about  for  a  fondly  doting,  although 
heroic,  woman.  There  was  an  evident  malignity  in  the 
words  and  manner  of  the  one-eyed  messenger,  an  appear- 
ance as  if  he  knew  more  than  others,  which  awed  and 
confused  both  Philip  and  herself.  Amine  wept  not,  but 
she  covered  her  face  with  her  hands  as  Philip,  with  no 
steady  pace,  walked  up  and  down  the  small  room.  Again, 
with  all  the  vividness  of  colouring,  did  the  scenes  half 
forgotten  recur  to  his  memory.  Again  did  he  penetrate 
the  fatal  chamber — again  was  it  obscure.  The  embroidery 
lay  at  his  feet,  and  once  more  he  started  as  when  the  letter 
appeared  upon  the  floor. 

They  had  both  awakened  from  a  dream  of  present  bliss, 
and  shuddered  at  the  awful  future  which  presented  itself. 
A  few  minutes  were  sufficient  for  Philip  to  resume  his 


6S  The  Phantom  Ship 

natural  self-possession.  He  sat  down  by  the  side  of  his 
Amine,  and  clasped  her  in  his  arms.  They  remained  silent. 
They  knew  too  well  each  other's  thoughts  ;  and,  excruciat- 
ing as  was  the  effort,  they  were  both  summoning  up  their 
courage  to  bear,  and  steeling  their  hearts  against  the  con- 
viction that,  in  this  world,  they  must  now  expect  to  be  for 
a  time,  perhaps  for  ever,  separated. 

Amine  was  the  first  to  speak  :  removing  her  arms,  which 
had  been  wound  round  her  husband,  she  first  put  his  hand 
to  her  heart,  as  if  to  compress  its  painful  throbbings,  and 
then  observed — 

**  Surely  that  was  no  earthly  messenger,  Philip  !  Did 
you  not  feel  chilled  to  death  when  he  sat  by  you  ?  I  did, 
as  he  came  in." 

Philip,  who  had  the  same  thought  as  Amine,  but  did  not 
wish  to  alarm  her,  answered  confusedly — 

"  Nay,  Amine,  you  fancy — that  is,  the  suddenness  of  his 
appearance  and  his  strange  conduct  have  made  you  imagine 
this ;  but  I  saw  in  him  but  a  man  who,  from  his  peculiar 
deformity,  has  become  an  envious  outcast  of  society — 
debarred  from  domestic  happiness,  from  the  smiles  of  the 
other  sex ;  for  what  woman  could  smile  upon  such  a 
creature  ?  His  bile  raised  at  so  much  beauty  in  the  arms 
of  another,  he  enjoyed  a  malignant  pleasure  in  giving  a 
message  which  he  felt  would  break  upon  those  pleasures 
from  which  he  is  cut  off.  Be  assured,  my  love,  that  it  was 
nothing  more." 

"  And  even  if  my  conjecture  were  correct,  what  does  it 
matter  ?  "  replied  Amine.  "  There  can  be  nothing  more — 
nothing  which  can  render  your  position  more  awful  and 
more  desperate.  As  your  wife,  Philip,  I  feel  less  courage 
than  I  did  when  I  gave  my  willing  hand.  I  knew  not  then 
what  would  be  the  extent  of  my  loss ;  but  fear  not,  much 
as  I  feel  here,"  continued  Amine,  putting  her  hand  to  her 
heart — '*I  am  prepared,  and  proud  that  he  who  is  selected 
for  such  a  task  is  my  husband."  Amine  paused.  **  You 
cannot  surely  have  been  mistaken,  Philip  ?  " 

"  No !  Amine,  I  have  not  been  mistaken,  either  in  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  69 

summons  or  in  my  own  courage,  or  in  my  selection  of  a 
wife,"  replied  Philip,  mournfully,  as  he  embrace!  her. 
^*  It  is  the  will  of  Heaven." 

**Then  may  its  will  be  done,"  replied  Amine,  rising 
from  her  seat.  **  The  first  pang  is  over.  I  feel  better 
now,  Philip.     Your  Amine  knows  her  duty." 

Philip  made  no  reply;  when,  after  a  few  moments, 
Amine  continued : 

**  But  one  short  week,  Philip -" 

**  I  would  it  had  been  but  one  day ; "  replied  he ;  "it 
would  have  been  long  enough.  He  has  come  too  soon — 
the  one-eyed  monster." 

**  Nay,  not  so,  Philip.  I  thank  him  for  the  week — 'tis 
but  a  short  time  to  wean  myself  from  happiness.  I  grant 
you,  that  were  I  to  tease,  to  vex,  to  unman  you  with  my 
tears,  my  prayers,  or  my  upbraidings  (as  some  wives 
would  do,  Philip),  one  day  would  be  more  than  sufficient 
for  such  a  scene  of  weakness  on  my  part,  and  misery  on 
yours  But,  no,  Philip,  your  Amine  knows  her  duty  better. 
You  must  go  like  some  knight  of  old  to  perilous  encounter, 
perhaps  to  death ;  but  Amine  will  arm  you,  and  show  her 
love  by  closing  carefully  each  rivet  to  protect  you  in  your 
peril,  and  will  see  you  depart  full  of  hope  and  confidence, 
anticipating  your  return.  A  week  is  not  too  long,  Philip, 
when  employed  as  I  trust  I  shall  employ  it — a  week  to 
interchange  our  sentiments,  to  hear  your  voice,  to  listen  to 
your  words  (each  of  which  will  be  engraven  on  my  heart's 
memory),  to  ponder  on  them,  and  feed  my  love  with  them 
in  your  absence  and  in  my  solitude.  No  !  no !  Philip  ;  I 
thank  God  that  there  is  yet  a  week." 

"  And  so  do  I,  then,  Amine ;  and,  after  all,  we  knew 
that  this  must  come." 

**  Yes!  but  my  love  was  so  potent,  that  it  banished 
memory." 

*•  And  yet  during  our  separation  your  love  must  feed  on 
memory.  Amine." 

Amine  sighed.  Here  their  conversation  was  interrupted 
by  the  entrance  of  Mynheer  Poots,  who,  struck  with  the 


JO  The  Phantom  Ship 

alteration  in  Amine's  radiant  features,  exclaimed,  **Holy 
Prophet !  what  is  the  matter  now  ? " 

**  Nothing  more  than  what  we  all  knew  before,"  replied 
Philip ;  "  I  am  about  to  leave  you — the  ship  will  sail  in  a 
week." 

"  Oh  !  you  will  sail  in  a  week  ?  " 

There  was  a  curious  expression  in  the  face  of  the  old 
man  as  he  endeavoured  to  suppress,  before  Amine  and  her 
husband,  the  joy  which  he  felt  at  Philip's  departure. 
Gradually  he  subdued  his  features  into  gravity,  and  said — 

**  That  is  very  bad  news,  indeed." 

No  answer  was  made  by  Amine  or  Philip,  who  quitted 
the  room  together. 

We  must  pass  over  this  week,  which  was  occupied  in 
preparations  for  Philip's  departure.  We  must  pass  over 
the  heroism  of  Amine,  who  controlled  her  feelings,  racked 
as  she  was  with  intense  agony  at  the  idea  of  separating  from 
her  adored  husband.  We  cannot  dwell  upon  the  conflict- 
ing emotions  in  the  breast  of  Philip,  who  left  competence, 
happiness,  and  love,  to  encounter  danger,  privation,  and 
death.  Now,  at  one  time,  he  would  almost  resolve  to 
remain,  and  then  at  others,  as  he  took  the  relic  from  his 
bosom  and  remembered  his  vow  registered  upon  it,  he  was 
nearly  as  anxious  to  depart.  Amine,  too,  as  she  fell  asleep 
in  her  husband's  arms,  would  count  the  few  hours  left 
them ;  or  she  would  shudder,  as  she  lay  awake  and  the 
wind  howled,  at  the  prospect  of  what  Philip  would  have  ta 
encounter.  It  was  a  long  week  to  both  of  them,  and, 
although  they  thought  that  time  flew  fast,  it  was  almost  a 
relief  when  the  morning  came  that  was  to  separate  them ; 
for  to  their  feelings,  which,  from  regard  to  each  other,  had 
been  pent  up  and  controlled,  they  could  then  give  vent ; 
their  surcharged  bosoms  could  be  relieved ;  certainty  had 
driven  away  suspense,  and  hope  was  still  left  to  cheer  them 
and  brighten  up  the  dark  horizon  of  the  future. 

**  Philip,"  said  Amine,  as  they  sat  together  with  their 
hands  entwined,  "  I  shall  not  feel  so  much  when  you  are 
gone.     I  do  not  forget  that  all  this  was  told  me  before 


The  Phantom  Ship  71 

we  were  wed,  and  that  for  my  love  I  took  the  hazard. 
My  fond  heart  often  tells  me  that  you  will  return;  but 
it  may  deceive  me — return  you  may,  but  not  in  life.  In 
this  room  I  shall  await  you ;  on  this  sofa,  removed  to  its 
former  station,  I  shall  sit ;  and  if  you  cannot  appear  to 
me  alive,  O  refuse  me  not,  if  it  be  possible,  to  appear  to 
me  when  dead.  I  shall  fear  no  storm,  no  bursting  open 
of  the  window.  O  no !  I  shall  hail  the  presence  even  of 
your  spirit.  Once  more ;  let  me  but  see  you — let  me  be 
assured  that  you  are  dead — and  then  I  shall  know  that  I 
have  no  more  to  live  for  in  this  world,  and  shall  hasten 
to  join  you  in  a  world  of  bliss.     Promise  me,  Philip." 

**  I  promise  all  you  ask,  provided  Heaven  will  so  permit ; 
but.  Amine,"  and  Philip's  lips  trembled,  "I  cannot — 
merciful  God!  I  am  indeed  tried.  Amine,  I  can  stay 
no  longer." 

Amine's  dark  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her  husband — she 
could  not  speak — her  features  were  convulsed — nature 
could  no  longer  hold  up  against  her  excess  of  feeling- 
she  fell  into  his  arms,  and  lay  motionless.  Philip,  about 
to  impress  a  last  kiss  upon  her  pale  lips,  perceived  that 
she  had  fainted. 

"  She  feels  not  now,"  said  he,  as  he  laid  her  upon  the 
sofa;  "it  is  better  that  it  should  be  so — too  soon  will 
she  awake  to  misery." 

Summoning  to  the  assistance  of  his  daughter  Mynheer 
Poots,  who  was  in  the  adjoining  room,  Philip  caught  up 
his  hat,  imprinted  one  more  fervent  kiss  upon  her  forehead, 
burst  from  the  house,  and  v/as  out  of  sight  long  before 
Amine  had  recovered  from  her  swoon. 


Chapter  VIII 

Before  we  follow  Philip  Vanderdecken  in  his  venturous 
career,  it  will  be  necessary  to  refresh  the  memory  of  our 
readers  by  a  succinct  recapitulation  of  the  circumstances 


72  The  Phantom  Ship 

that  had  directed  the  enterprise  of  the  Dutch  towards 
the  country  of  the  East,  which  was  now  proving  to  them 
a  source  of  weahh  which  they  considered  as  inexhaustible. 

Let  us  begin  at  the  beginning.  Charles  the  Fifth,  after 
having  possessed  the  major  part  of  Europe,  retired  from 
the  world,  for  reasons  best  known  to  himself,  and  divided 
his  kingdoms  between  Ferdinand  and  Philip.  To  Ferdinand 
he  gave  Austria  and  its  dependencies ;  to  Philip  Spain ; 
but  to  make  the  division  more  equal  and  palatable  to  the 
latter,  he  threw  the  Low  Countries,  with  the  few  millions 
vegetating  upon  them,  into  the  bargain.  Having  thus 
disposed  of  his  fellow-mortals  much  to  his  own  satisfaction, 
he  went  into  a  convent,  reserving  for  himself  a  small 
income,  twelve  men,  and  a  pony.  Whether  he  afterwards 
repented  his  hobby,  or  mounted  his  pony,  is  not  recorded  j 
but  this  is  certain — that  in  two  years  he  died. 

Philip  thought  (as  many  have  thought  before  and  since) 
that  he  had  a  right  to  do  what  he  pleased  with  his  own. 
He  therefore  took  away  from  the  Hollanders  most  of  their 
liberties :  to  make  amends,  however,  he  gave  them  the 
Inquisition ;  but  the  Dutch  grumbled,  and  Philip,  to  stop 
their  grumbling,  burnt  a  few  of  them.  Upon  which,  the 
Dutch,  who  are  aquatic  in  their  propensities,  protested 
against  a  religion  which  was  much  too  warm  for  their 
constitutions.  In  short,  heresy  made  great  progress  j  and 
the  Duke  of  Alva  was  despatched  with  a  large  army,  to 
prove  to  the  Hollanders  that  the  Inquisition  was  the  very 
best  of  all  possible  arrangements,  and  that  it  was  infinitely 
better  that  a  man  should  be  burnt  for  half-an-hour  in  this 
world  than  for  eternity  in  the  next 

This  slight  difference  of  opinion  was  the  occasion  of  a 
war,  which  lasted  about  eight  years,  and  which,  after 
having  saved  some  hundreds  of  thousands  the  trouble  of 
dying  in  their  beds,  at  length  ended  in  the  Seven  United 
Provinces  being  declared  independent.  Now  we  must 
go  back  again. 

For  a  century  after  Vasco  de  Gama  had  discovered  the 
passage  round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the  Portuguese 


The  Phaatom  Ship  73 

were  not  interfered  with  by  other  nations.  At  last  the 
adventurous  spirit  of  the  English  nation  was  roused. 
The  passage  to  India  by  the  Cape  had  been  claimed  by 
the  Portuguese  as  their  sole  right,  and  they  defended  it 
by  force.  For  a  long  time  no  private  company  ventured 
to  oppose  them,  and  the  trade  was  not  of  that  apparent 
value  to  induce  any  government  to  embark  in  a  war  upon 
the  question.  The  English  adventurers,  therefore,  turned 
their  attention  to  the  discovery  of  a  north-west  passage 
to  India,  with  which  the  Portuguese  could  have  no  right 
to  interfere,  and  in  vain  attempts  to  discover  that  passage, 
the  best  part  of  the  fifteenth  century  was  employed.  At 
last  they  abandoned  their  endeavours,  and  resolved  no 
longer  to  be  deterred  by  the  Portuguese  pretensions. 

After  one  or  two  unsuccessful  expeditions,  an  armament 
was  fitted  out  and  put  under  the  orders  of  Drake.  This 
courageous  and  successful  navigator  accomplished  more 
than  the  most  sanguine  had  anticipated.  He  returned  to 
England  in  the  month  of  May,  1580,  after  a  voyage  which 
occupied  him  nearly  three  years ;  bringing  home  with  him 
great  riches,  and  having  made  most  favourable  arrange- 
ments with  the  king  of  the  Molucca  Islands. 

His  success  was  followed  up  by  Cavendish  and  others 
in  1600.  The  English  East  India  Company,  in  the 
meanwhile,  received  their  first  charter  from  the  govern- 
ment, and  had  now  been  with  various  success  carrying  on 
the  trade  for  upwards  of  fifty  years. 

During  the  time  that  the  Dutch  were  vassals  to  the 
crown  of  Spain,  it  was  their  custom  to  repair  to  Lisbon 
for  the  productions  of  the  East,  and  afterwards  to  dis- 
tribute them  through  Europe ;  but  when  they  quarrelled 
with  Philip,  they  were  no  longer  admitted  as  retailers  of 
his  Indian  produce:  the  consequence  was,  that,  while 
asserting,  and  fighting  for,  their  independence,  they  had 
also  fitted  out  expeditions  to  India.  They  were  success- 
ful; and  in  1602  the  various  speculators  were,  by  the 
government,  formed  into  a  company,  upon  the  same  principles 
and  arrangement  as  those  which  had  been  chartered  in 
England. 


74  The  Phantom  Ship 

At  the  time,  therefore,  to  which  we  are  reverting,  the 
English  and  Dutch  had  been  trading  in  the  Indian  seas 
for  more  than  fifty  years ;  and  the  Portuguese  had  lost 
nearly  all  their  power,  from  the  alliances  and  friendships 
which  their  rivals  had  formed  with  the  potentates  of  the 
East,  who  had  suffered  from  the  Portuguese  avarice  and 
cruelty. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  sum  of  obligation  which 
the  Dutch  owed  to  the  English  for  the  assistance  they 
received  from  them  during  their  struggle  for  independ- 
ence, it  does  not  appear  that  their  gratitude  extended 
beyond  the  Cape;  for,  on  the  other  side  of  it,  the 
Portuguese,  English,  and  Dutch  fought  and  captured 
each  other's  vessels  without  ceremony ;  and  there  was 
no  law  but  that  of  main  force.  The  mother  countries 
were  occasionally  called  upon  to  interfere,  but  the  in- 
terference up  to  the  above  time  had  produced  nothing 
more  than  a  paper  war ;  it  being  very  evident  that  all 
parties  were  in  the  wrong. 

In  1650,  Cromwell  usurped  the  throne  of  England, 
and  the  year  afterwards,  having,  among  other  points, 
vainly  demanded  of  the  Dutch  satisfaction  for  the  murder 
of  his  regicide  ambassador,  which  took  place  in  this  year, 
and  some  compensation  for  the  cruelties  exercised  on  the 
English  at  Amboyne  some  thirty  years  before  he  declared 
war  with  Holland.  To  prove  that  he  was  in  earnest,  he 
seized  more  than  two  hundred  Dutch  vessels,  and  the 
Dutch  then  (very  unwillingly)  prepared  for  war.  Blake 
and  Van  Tromp  met,  and  the  naval  combats  were  most 
obstinate.  In  the  "History  of  England"  the  victory  is 
almost  invariably  given  to  the  English,  but  in  that  of 
Holland  to  the  Dutch.  By  all  accounts,  these  engage- 
ments were  so  obstinate,  that  in  each  case  they  were 
both  well  beaten.  However,  in  1 654,  peace  was  signed ; 
the  Dutchman  promising  "  to  take  his  hat  off"  whenever 
he  should  meet  an  Englishman  on  the  high  seas — a  mere 
act  of  politeness  which  Mynheer  did  not  object  to,  as  it 
cost  nothing.     And  now,  having  detailed  the  state  of  things 


The  Phantom  Ship  75 

up  to  the  time  of  Philip's  embarkation,  we  shall  proceed 
with  our  story. 

As  soon  as  Philip  was  clear  of  his  own  threshold,  he 
hastened  away  as  though  he  were  attempting  to  escape 
from  his  own  painful  thoughts.  In  two  days  he  arrived 
at  Amsterdam,  where  his  first  object  was  to  procure  a 
small,  but  strong,  steel  chain  to  replace  the  ribbon  by 
which  the  relic  had  hitherto  been  secured  round  his  neck. 
Having  done  this,  he  hastened  to  embark  with  his  effects 
on  board  of  the  Ter  Schilling,  Philip  had  not  forgotten 
to  bring  with  him  the  money  which  he  had  agreed  to  pay 
the  captain,  in  consideration  of  being  received  on  board 
as  an  apprentice  rather  than  a  sailor.  He  had  also 
furnished  himself  with  a  further  sum  for  his  own  exi- 
gencies. It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  he  arrived  on 
board  of  the  Ter  Schillings  which  lay  at  single  anchor, 
surrounded  by  the  other  vessels  composing  the  Indian 
fleet.  The  captain,  whose  name  was  Kloots,  received 
him  with  kindness,  showed  him  his  berth,  and  then  went 
below^  in  the  hold  to  decide  a  question  relative  to  the 
cargo,  leaving  Philip  on  deck  to  his  own  reflections. 

And  this,  then,  thought  Philip,  as  he  leaned  against  the 
taflrail  and  looked  forward — this,  then,  is  the  vessel  in 
which  my  first  attempt  is  to  be  made.  First  and — perhaps, 
last.  How  little  do  those  with  whom  I  am  about  to  sail 
imagine  the  purport  of  my  embarkation  ?  How  diflerent 
are  my  views  from  those  of  others  ?  Do  /seek  a  fortune  ? 
No !  Is  it  to  satisfy  curiosity  and  a  truant  spirit  ?  No  !  I 
seek  communion  with  the  dead.  Can  I  meet  the  dead 
without  danger  to  myself  and  those  who  sail  with  me  ?  I 
should  think  not,  for  I  cannot  join  it  but  in  death.  Did 
they  surmise  my  wishes  and  intentions,  would  they  permit 
me  to  remain  one  hour  on  board  ?  Superstitious  as  seamen 
are  said  to  be,  they  might  find  a  good  excuse,  if  they  knew 
my  mission,  not  only  for  their  superstition,  but  for  ridding 
themselves  of  one  on  such  an  awful  errand.  Awful 
indeed !  and  how  to  be  accomplished  ?  Heaven  alone, 
with  perseverance   on   my  part,  can   solve  the  mystery. 


76  The  Phantom  Ship 

And  Philip's  thoughts  reverted  to  his  Amine.  He  folded 
his  arms  and,  entranced  in  meditation,  with  his  eyes  raised 
to  the  firmament,  he  appeared  to  watch  the  flying  scud. 

"Had  you  not  better  go  below?"  said  a  mild  voice, 
which  made  Philip  start  from  his  reverie. 

It  was  that  of  the  first  mate,  whose  name  was  Hillebrant, 
a  short,  well-set  man  of  about  thirty  years  of  age.  His 
hair  was  flaxen,  and  fell  in  long  flakes  upon  his  shoulders, 
his  complexion  fair,  and  his  eyes  of  a  soft  blue  ;  although 
there  was  little  of  the  sailor  in  his  appearance,  few  knew 
or  did  their  duty  better. 

"  I  thank  you,"  replied  Philip ;  "I  had,  indeed, 
forgotten  myself,  and  where  I  was :  my  thoughts  were 
far  away.     Good-night,  and  many  thanks." 

The  Ter  Schilling,  like  most  of  the  vessels  of  that  period, 
was  very  different  in  her  build  and  fitting  from  those  of 
the  present  day.  She  was  ship-rigged,  and  of  about  four 
hundred  tons  burden.  Her  bottom  was  nearly  flat,  and 
her  sides  fell  in  (as  she  rose  above  the  water),  so  that  her 
upper  decks  were  not  half  the  width  of  the  hold. 

All  the  vessels  employed  by  the  Company  being  armed, 
she  had  her  main  deck  clear  of  goods,  and  carried  six 
nine-pounders  on  each  broadside;  her  ports  were  small 
and  oval.  There  was  a  great  spring  in  all  her  decks, — 
that  is  to  say,  she  ran  with  a  curve  forward  and  aft.  On 
her  forecastle  another  small  deck  ran  from  the  knight- 
heads,  which  was  called  the  top-gallant  forecastle.  Her 
quarter-deck  was  broken  with  a  poop,  which  rose  high 
out  of  the  water.  The  bowsprit  staved  very  much,  and 
was  to  appearance  almost  as  a  fourth  mast :  the  more  so, 
as  she  carried  a  square  spritsail  and  sprit-topsail.  On  her 
quarter-deck  and  poop-bulwarks  were  fixed  in  sockets 
implements  of  warfare  now  long  in  disuse,  but  what  were 
then  known  by  the  names  of  cohorns  and  patteraroes ; 
they  turned  round  on  a  swivel,  and  were  pointed  by  an 
iron  handle  fixed  to  the  breech.  The  sail  abaft  the  mizen- 
mast  (corresponding  to  the  driver  or  spanker  of  the 
present  day)  was  fixed  upon  a  lateen-yard.     It  is  hardly 


The  Phantom  Ship  77 

necessary  to  add  (after  this  description)  that  the  dangers 
of  a  long  voyage  were  not  a  little  increased  by  the 
peculiar  structure  of  the  vessels,  which  (although  with 
such  top  hamper,  and  so  much  wood  above  water,  they 
could  make  good  way  before  a  favourable  breeze)  could 
hold  no  wind,  and  had  but  little  chance  if  caught  upon 
a  lee-shore. 

The  crew  of  the  Ter  Schilling  were  composed  of  the 
captain,  two  mates,  two  pilots,  and  forty-five  men.  The 
supercargo  had  not  yet  come  on  board.  The  cabin  (under 
the  poop)  was  appropriated  to  the  supercargo ;  but  the 
main-deck  cabin  to  the  captain  and  mates,  who  composed 
the  whole  of  the  cabin  mess. 

When  Philip  awoke  the  next  morning  he  found  that  the 
topsails  were  hoisted,  and  the  anchor  short-stay  apeak. 
Some  of  the  other  vessels  of  the  fleet  were  under  weigh 
and  standing  out.  The  weather  was  fine  and  the  water 
smooth,  and  the  bustle  and  novelty  of  the  scene  were 
cheering  to  his  spirits.  The  captain,  Mynheer  Kloots,  was 
standing  on  the  poop  with  a  small  telescope,  made  of 
pasteboard,  to  his  eye,  anxiously  looking  towards  the 
town.  Mynheer  Kloots,  as  usual,  had  his  pipe  in  his 
mouth,  and  the  smoke  which  he  puffed  from  it  for  a  time 
obscured  the  lenses  of  his  telescope.  Philip  went  up  the 
poop  ladder  and  saluted  him. 

Mynheer  Kloots  was  a  person  of  no  moderate  dimensions, 
and  the  quantity  of  garments  which  he  wore  added  no 
little  to  his  apparent  bulk.  The  outer  garments  exposed 
to  view  were,  a  rough  fox-skin  cap  upon  his  head,  from 
under  which  appeared  the  edge  of  a  red  worsted  nightcap ;. 
a  red  plush  waistcoat,  with  large  metal  buttons ;  a  jacket 
of  green  cloth,  over  which  he  wore  another  of  larger 
dimensions  of  coarse  blue  cloth,  which  came  down  as  low 
as  what  would  be  called  a  spencer.  Below  he  had  black 
plush  breeches,  light  blue  worsted  stockings,  shoes,  and 
broad  silver  buckles ;  round  his  waist  was  girded,  with  a 
broad  belt,  a  canvas  apron  which  descended  in  thick  folds 
nearly  to  his  knee.     In  his  belt  was  a  large  broad-bladed 


78  The  Phantom  Ship 

knife  in  a  sheath  of  shark's  skin.  Such  was  the  attire  of 
Mynheer  Kloots,  captain  of  the  Ter  Schilling. 

He  was  as  tall  as  he  was  corpulent.  His  face  was  oval, 
and  his  features  small  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  his 
frame.  His  grizzly  hair  fluttered  in  the  breeze,  and  his 
nose  (although  quite  straight)  was,  at  the  tip,  iiery  red 
from  frequent  application  to  his  bottle  of  schnapps,  and  the 
heat  of  a  small  pipe  which  seldom  left  his  lips,  except  for 
him  to  give  an  order,  or  for  it  to  be  replenished. 

**  Good  morning,  my  son,"  said  the  captain,  taking  his 
pipe  out  of  his  mouth  for  a  moment.  **  We  are  detained 
by  the  supercargo,  who  appears  not  over-willing  to  come 
on  board ;  the  boat  has  been  on  shore  this  hour  waiting 
for  him,  and  we  shall  be  last  of  the  fleet  under  weigh.  I 
wish  the  Company  would  let  us  sail  without  these  gentle- 
men, who  are  (in  my  opinion^  a  great  hindrance  to  business ; 
but  they  think  otherwise  on  shore." 

"  What  is  their  duty  on  board  ?  "  replied  Philip. 

"  Their  duty  is  to  look  after  the  cargo  and  the  traffic, 
and  if  they  kept  to  that,  it  would  not  be  so  bad  j  but  they 
interfere  with  everything  else  and  everybody,  studying 
little  except  their  own  comforts-,  in  fact,  they  play  the 
king  on  board,  knowing  that  we  dare  not  affront  them,  as 
a  word  from  them  would  prejudice  the  vessel  when  again 
to  be  chartered.  The  Company  insist  upon  their  being 
received  with  all  honours.  We  salute  them  with  five 
guns  on  their  arrival  on  board." 

**Do  you  know  anything  of  this  one  whom  you  expect  ?" 

"  Nothing,  but  from  report.  A  brother  captain  of  mine 
(with  whom  he  has  sailed)  told  me  that  he  is  most  fearful 
of  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  and  much  taken  up  with  his  own 
importance." 

"I  wish  he  would  come,"  replied  Philip  5  **I  am  most 
anxious  that  we  should  sail." 

"You  must  be  of  a  wandering  disposition,  my  son:  I 
hear  that  you  leave  a  comfortable  home,  and  a  pretty  wife 
to  boot." 

"  I  am  most  anxious  to  see  the  world,"  replied  Philip  j 


The  Phantom  Ship  79 

**  and  I  must  learn  to  sail  a  ship  before  I  purchase  one,  and 
try  to  make  the  fortune  that  I  covet."  (Alas !  how 
different  from  my  real  wishes,  thought  Philip,  as  he  made 
this  reply.) 

**  Fortunes  are  made,  and  fortunes  are  swallowed  up 
too,  by  the  ocean,"  replied  the  captain.  "  If  I  could  turn 
this  good  ship  into  a  good  house,  with  plenty  of  guilders 
to  keep  the  house  warm,  you  would  not  find  me  standing 
on  this  poop.  I  have  doubled  the  Cape  twice,  which  is 
often  enough  for  any  man ;  the  third  time  may  not  be  so 
lucky." 

**  Is  it  so  dangerous,  then  ?  "  said  Philip. 

"  As  dangerous  as  tides  and  currents,  rocks  and  sand- 
banks, hard  gales  and  heavy  seas,  can  make  it, — no  more ! 
Even  when  you  anchor  in  the  bay,  on  this  side  of  the  Cape, 
you  ride  in  fear  and  trembling,  for  you  may  be  ^blown 
away  from  your  anchor  to  sea,  or  be  driven  on  shore 
among  the  savages,  before  the  men  can  well  put  on  their 
clothing.  But  when  once  you're  well  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Cape,  then  the  water  dances  to  the  beams  of  the  sun 
as  if  it  were  merry,  and  you  may  sail  for  weeks  with  a 
cloudless  sky  and  a  flowing  breeze,  without  starting  tack 
or  sheet,  or  having  to  take  your  pipe  out  of  your  mouth." 

**  What  port  shall  we  go  into.  Mynheer  ? " 

**  Of  that  I  can  say  but  little.  Gambroon,  in  the  Gulf 
of  Persia,  will  probably  be  the  first  rendezvous  of  the 
whole  fleet.  Then  we  shall  separate :  some  will  sail  direct 
for  Bantam,  in  the  island  of  Java ;  others  will  have  orders 
to  trade  down  the  Straits  for  camphor,  gum,  benzoin,  and 
wax  •,  they  have  also  gold  and  the  teeth  of  the  elephant  to 
barter  with  us :  there  (should  we  be  sent  thither)  you 
must  be  careful  with  the  natives.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken. 
They  are  fierce  and  treacherous,  and  their  curved  knives 
(or  creeses,  as  they  call  them)  are  sharp  and  deadly 
poisoned.  I  have  had  hard  fighting  in  those  Straits  both 
with  Portuguese  and  English." 

"  But  we  are  all  at  peace  now." 

"True,  my  sonj  but  when  round  the  Cape,  we  must 


8o  The  Phantom  Ship 

aot  trust  to  papers  signed  at  home :  and  the  English  press 
us  hard,  and  tread  upon  our  heels  wherever  we  go.  They 
must  be  checked  j  and  I  suspect  our  fleet  is  so  large  and 
well  appointed  in  expectation  of  hostilities." 

"How  long  do  you  expect  your  voyage  may  occupy 
us?" 

**  That's  as  may  be :  but  I  should  say  about  two  years  j 
— nay,  if  not  detained  by  the  factors,  as  I  expect  we  shall 
be,  for  some  hostile  service,  it  may  be  less." 

Two  years,  thought  Philip,  two  years  from  Amine  ! 
and  he  sighed  deeply,  for  he  felt  that  their  separation 
might  be  for  ever. 

**  Nay,  my  son,  two  years  is  not  so  long,"  said  Mynheer 
Kloots,  who  observed  the  passing  cloud  on  Philip's  brow. 
**  I  was  once  five  years  away,  and  was  unfortunate,  for  I 
brought  home  nothing,  not  even  my  ship.  I  was  sent  to 
Chittagong,  on  the  east  side  of  the  great  Bay  of  Bengala, 
and  lay  for  three  months  in  the  river.  The  chiefs  of  the 
country  would  detain  me  by  force  -,  they  would  not  barter 
for  my  cargo,  or  permit  me  to  seek  another  market.  My 
powder  had  been  landed,  and  I  could  make  no  resistance. 
The  worms  ate  through  the  bottom  of  my  vessel,  and  she 
sank  at  her  anchors.  They  knew  it  would  take  place, 
and  that  then  they  would  have  my  cargo  at  their  own 
price.  Another  vessel  brought  us  home.  Had  I  not 
been  so  treacherously  served,  I  should  have  had  no  need 
to  sail  this  time ;  and  now  my  gains  are  small,  the 
G)mpany  forbidding  all  private  trading.  But  here  he 
comes  at  last ;  they  have  hoisted  the  ensign  on  the  staff 
in  the  boat;  there  —  they  have  shoved  off.  Mynheer 
Hillebrant,  see  the  gunners  ready  with  their  linstocks  to 
salvo  the  supercargo." 

*'What  duty  do  you  wish  me  to  perform  ?"  observed 
Philip.     "  In  what  can  I  be  useful  ? " 

"  At  present  you  can  be  of  little  use,  except  in  those 
heavy  gales  in  which  every  pair  of  hands  is  valuable.  You 
must  look  and  learn  for  some  time  yet ;  but  you  can  make 
a  fair  copy  of  the  journal  kept  for  the  inspection  of  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  8i 

Company,  and  may  assist  me  in  various  ways,  as  soon  as 
the  unpleasant  nausea,  feh  by  those  who  first  embark, 
has  subsided.  As  a  remedy,  I  should  propose  that  you 
gird  a  handkerchief  tight  round  your  body  so  as  to 
compress  the  stomach,  and  make  frequent  application  of 
my  bottle  of  schnapps,  which  you  will  find  always  at 
your  service.  But  now  to  receive  the  factor  of  the 
most  puissant  Company.  Mynheer  Hillebrant,  let  them 
discharge  the  cannon." 

The  guns  were  fired,  and  soon  after  the  smoke  had 
cleared  away,  the  boat,  with  its  long  ensign  trailing  on 
the  water,  was  pulled  alongside.  Philip  watched  the 
appearance  of  the  supercargo,  but  he  remained  in  the  boat 
until  several  of  the  boxes  with  the  initials  and  arms  of  the 
Company  were  first  handed  on  the  deck  ;  at  last  the  super- 
cargo appeared. 

He  was  a  small,  spare,  wizen-faced  man,  with  a  three- 
cornered  cocked  hat,  bound  with  broad  gold  lace,  upon 
his  head,  under  which  appeared  a  full-bottomed  flowing 
wig,  the  curls  of  which  descended  low  upon  his  shoulders. 
His  coat  was  of  crimson  velvet,  with  broad  flaps:  his 
waistcoat  of  white  silk,  worked  in  coloured  flowers,  and 
descending  half-way  down  to  his  knees.  His  breeches 
were  of  black  satin,  and  his  legs  were  covered  with  white 
silk  stockings.  Add  to  this,  gold  buckles  at  his  knees 
and  in  his  shoes,  lace  ruffles  to  his  wrists,  and  a  silver- 
mounted  cane  in  his  hand,  and  the  reader  has  the  entire 
dress  of  Mynheer  Jacob  Janz  Von  Stroom,  the  super- 
cargo of  the  Hon.  Company,  appointed  to  the  good  ship 
Ter  Schilling, 

As  he  looked  round  him,  surrounded  at  a  respectful 
distance  by  the  captain,  officers,  and  men  of  the  ship, 
with  their  caps  in  their  hands,  the  reader  might  be  reminded 
of  the  picture  of  the  **  Monkey  who  had  seen  the  World" 
surrounded  by  his  tribe.  There  was  cot,  however,  the 
least  inclination  on  the  part  of  the  seamen  to  laugh,  even 
at  his  flowing,  full-bottomed  wig :  respect  was  at  that 
period  paid  to  dress ;  and  although  Mynheer  Von  Stroom 

P.S.  F 

\£^ 


82  The  Phantom  Ship 

could  not  be  mistaken  for  a  sailor,  he  was  known  to  be 
the  supercargo  of  the  Company,  and  a  very  great  man. 
He  therefore  received  all  the  respect  due  to  so  important 
a  personage. 

Mynheer  Von  Stroom  did  not,  however,  appear  very 
anxious  to  remain  on  deck.  He  requested  to  be  shown 
into  his  cabin,  and  followed  the  captain  aft,  picking  his 
way  among  the  coils  of  ropes  with  which  his  path  was 
encumbered.  The  door  was  opened,  and  the  supercargo 
disappeared.  The  ship  was  then  got  under  weigh,  the 
men  had  left  the  windlass,  the  sails  had  been  trimmed, 
and  they  were  securing  the  anchor  on  board,  when  the 
bell  of  the  poop-cabin  (appropriated  to  the  supercargo) 
was  pulled  with  great  violence. 

**  What  can  that  be  ?  "  said  Mynheer  Kloots  (who  was 
forward),  taking  the  pipe  out  of  his  mouth.  "  Mynheer 
Vanderdecken,  will  you  see  what  is  the  matter  ?  '* 

Philip  went  aft,  as  the  pealing  of  the  bell  continued,  and 
evening  the  cabin  door,  discovered  the  supercargo  perched 
upon  the  table  and  pulling  the  bell-rope,  which  hung  over 
its  centre,  with  every  mark  of  fear  in  his  countenance. 
His  wig  was  off,  and  his  bare  skull  gave  him  an  appearance 
peculiarly  ridiculous. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  sir  ?  "  inquired  Philip. 

"  Matter  !  "  spluttered  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  ;  "  call 
the  troops  in  with  their  firelocks.  Quick,  sir.  Am  I  to  be 
murdered,  torn  to  pieces,  and  devoured  ?  For  mercy's 
sake,  sir,  don't  stare,  but  do  something — look,  it's  coming 
to  the  table  !  O  dear  !  O  dear  !  "  continued  the  super- 
cargo, evidently  terrified  out  of  his  wits. 

Philip,  whose  eyes  had  been  fixed  on  Mynheer  Von 
Stroom,  turned  them  in  the  direction  pointed  out,  and, 
much  to  his  astonishment  perceived  a  small  bear  upon  the 
deck  who  was  amusing  himself  with  the  supercargo's 
flowing  wig,  which  he  held  in  his  paws,  tossing  it  about, 
and  now  and  then  burying  his  muzzle  in  it.  The 
unexpected  sight  of  the  animal  was  at  first  a  shock  to 
Philip,  but  a  moment's  consideration  assured  him  that  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  S^ 

animal  must  be  harmless,  or  it  never  would  have  been 
permitted  to  remain  loose  in  the  vessel. 

Nevertheless,  Philip  had  no  wish  to  approach  the  animal, 
whose  disposition  he  was  unacquainted  with,  when  the 
appearance  of  Mynheer  Kloots  put  an  end  to  his  difficulty. 

"What  is  the  matter,  Mynheer?"  said  the  captain. 
"O  !  I  see  :  it  is  Johannes,"  continued  the  captain,  going 
up  to  the  bear,  and  saluting  him  with  a  kick,  as  he 
recovered  the  supercargo's  wig.  **  Out  of  the  cabin, 
Johannes  !  Out,  sir !  "  cried  Mynheer  Kloots,  kicking  the 
breech  of  the  bear  till  the  animal  had  escaped  through  the 
door.  "  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  I  am  very  sorry — here  is 
your  wig.  Shut  the  door.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  or  the 
beast  may  come  back,  for  he  is  very  fond  of  me." 

As  the  door  was  shut  between  Mynheer  Von  Stroom 
and  the  object  of  his  terror,  the  little  man  slid  off  the  table 
to  the  high-backed  chair  near  it,  shook  out  the  damaged 
curls  of  his  wig,  and  replaced  it  on  his  head  -,  pulled  out 
his  ruffles,  and,  assuming  an  air  of  magisterial  importance, 
struck  his  cane  on  the  deck,  and  then  spoke. 

**  Mynheer  Kloots,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  disrespect 
to  the  supercargo  of  the  puissant  Company  ?  " 

"  God  in  Heaven !  no  disrespect.  Mynheer ; — the  animal 
is  a  bear,  as  you  see ;  he  is  very  tame,  even  with  strangers. 
He  belongs  to  me.  I  have  had  him  since  he  was  three 
months  old.  It  was  all  a  mistake.  The  mate.  Mynheer 
Hillebrant,  put  him  in  the  cabin,  that  he  might  be  out  of 
the  way  while  the  duty  was  carrying  on,  and  he  quite 
forgot  that  he  was  here.  I  am  very  sorry.  Mynheer  Von 
Stroom  5  but  he  will  not  come  here  again,  unless  you  wish 
to  play  with  him." 

"Play  with  him!  I!  supercargo  to  the  Company,  play 
with  a  bear !  Mynheer  Kloots,  the  animal  must  be  thrown 
overboard  immediately." 

**  Nay,  nay ;  I  cannot  throw  overboard  an  animal  that  I 
hold  in  much  affection.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  5  but  he 
shall  not  trouble  you." 

**  Then,  Captain  Idoots,  you  will  have  to  deal  with  the 


84  The  Phantom  Ship 

Company,  to  whom  I  shall  represent  the  affair.  Your 
charter  will  be  cancelled,  and  your  freight-money  will  be 
forfeited." 

Kloots  was,  like  most  Dutchmen,  not  a  little  obstinate, 
and  this  imperative  behaviour  on  the  part  of  the  supercargo 
raised  his  bile.  **  There  is  nothing  in  the  charter  that 
prevents  my  having  an  animal  on  board,"  replied  KJoots. 

**By  the  regulations  of  the  Company,"  replied  Von 
Stroom,  falling  back  in  his  chair  with  an  important  air,  and 
crossing  his  thin  legs,  "you  are  required  to  receive  on 
board  strange  and  curious  animals,  sent  home  by  the 
governors  and  factors  to  be  presented  to  crowned  heads, — 
such  as  lions,  tigers,  elephants,  and  other  productions  of 
the  East; — but  in  no  instance  is  it  permitted  to  the 
commanders  of  chartered  ships  to  receive  on  board,  on 
their  own  account,  animals  of  any  description,  which  must 
be  considered  under  the  offence  of  private  trading." 

"  My  bear  is  not  for  sale.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom." 

"  It  must  immediately  be  sent  out  of  the  ship.  Mynheer 
Kloots  •,  I  order  you  to  send  it  away, — on  your  peril  to 
refuse." 

"  Then  we  will  drop  the  anchor  agdn.  Mynheer  Von 
Stroom,  and  send  on  shore  to  head-quarters  to  decide  the 
point.  If  the  Company  insists  that  the  brute  be  put  on 
shore,  be  it  so ;  but  recollect.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  we 
shall  lose  the  protection  of  the  fleet,  and  have  to  sail  alone. 
Shall  I  drop  the  anchor.  Mynheer  ?  " 

This  observation  softened  down  the  pertinacity  of  the 
supercargo;  he  had  no  wish  to  sail  alone,  and  the  fear 
of  this  contingency  was  more  powerful  than  the  fear  of 
the  bear. 

"Mynheer  IDoots,  I  will  not  be  too  severe;  if  the 
animal  is  chained,  so  that  it  does  not  approach  me,  I  will 
consent  to  its  remaining  on  board." 

"  I  will  keep  it  out  of  your  way  as  much  as  I  can ; 
but  as  for  chaining  up  the  poor  animal,  it  will  howl  all 
day  and  night,  and  you  will  have  no  sleep,  Mynheer  Von 
Stroom,"  replied  Kloots. 


The  Phantom  Ship  85 

The  supercargo,  who  perceived  that  the  captain  was 
positive,  and  that  his  threats  were  disregarded,  did  all 
that  a  man  could  do  who  could  not  help  himself.  He 
vowed  vengeance  in  his  own  mind,  and  then,  with  an 
air  of  condescension,  observed :  "  Upon  those  conditions. 
Mynheer  ELloots,  your  animal  may  remain  on  board." 

Mynheer  Kloots  and  Philip  then  left  the  cabin  ;  the 
former,  who  was  in  no  very  good  humour,  muttering  as 
he  walked  away — "If  the  Company  send  their  monkeys 
on  board,  I  think  I  may  well  have  my  bear,^^  And, 
pleased  with  his  joke.  Mynheer  Kloots  recovered  his  good 
humour. 


Chapter  IX 

We  must  allow  the  Indian  fleet  to  pursue  its  way  to  the 
Cape  with  every  variety  of  wind  and  weather.  Some 
had  parted  company;  but  the  rendezvous  was  Table 
Bay,  from  which  they  were  again  to  start  together. 

Philip  Vanderdecken  was  soon  able  to  render  some 
service  on  board.  He  studied  his  duty  diligently,  for 
employment  prevented  him  from  dwelling  too  much  upon 
the  cause  of  his  embarkation,  and  he  worked  hard  at  the 
duties  of  the  ship,  for  the  exercise  procured  for  him 
that  sleep  which  otherwise  would  have  been  denied. 

He  was  soon  a  favourite  of  the  captain,  and  intimate 
with  Hillebrant,  the  first  mate  5  the  second  mate,  Struys, 
was  a  morose  young  man,  with  whom  he  had  little  inter- 
course. As  for  the  supercargo.  Mynheer  Jacob  Janz 
Von  Stroom,  he  seldom  ventured  out  of  his  cabin.  The 
bear  Johannes  was  not  confined,  and  therefore  Mynheer 
Von  Stroom  confined  himself;  hardly  a  day  passed  that 
he  did  not  look  over  a  letter  which  he  had  framed  upon 
the  subject,  all  ready  to  forward  to  the  Company,  and 
each  time  that  he  perused  it  he  made  some  alteration, 
which  he  considered  would  give  additional  force  to  his 


86  The  Phantom  Ship 

complaint,  and  would  prove  still  more  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  Captain  KLloots. 

In  the  meantime,  in  happy  ignorance  of  all  that  was 
passing  in  the  poop-cabin.  Mynheer  Kloots  smoked  his 
pipe,  drank  his  schnapps,  and  played  with  Johannes.  The 
animal  had  also  contracted  a  great  affection  for  Philip, 
and  used  to  walk  the  watch  with  him. 

There  was  another  party  in  the  ship  whom  we  must 
not  lose  sight  of — the  one-eyed  pilot,  Schriften,  who 
appeared  to  have  imbibed  a  great  animosity  towards  our 
hero,  as  well  as  to  his  dumb  favourite  the  bear.  As 
Philip  held  the  rank  of  an  officer,  Schriften  dared  not 
openly  affront,  though  he  took  every  opportunity  of 
annoying  him,  and  was  constantly  inveighing  against  him 
before  the  ship's  company.  To  the  bear  he  was  more 
openly  inveterate,  and  seldom  passed  it  without  bestowing 
upon  it  a  severe  kick,  accompanied  with  a  horrid  curse. 
Although  no  one  on  board  appeared  to  be  fond  of  this 
man,  everybody  appeared  to  be  afraid  of  him,  and  he  had 
obtained  a  control  over  the  seamen  which  appeared  un- 
accountable. 

Such  was  the  state  of  affairs  on  board  the  good  ship 
Ter  Schilling,  when,  in  company  with  two  others,  she 
lay  becalmed  about  two  days'  sail  to  the  Cape.  The 
weather  was  intensely  hot,  for  it  was  the  summer  in 
those  southern  latitudes,  and  Philip,  who  had  been  lying 
down  under  the  awning  spread  over  the  poop,  was  so 
overcome  with  the  heat  that  he  had  fallen  asleep.  He 
awoke  with  a  shivering  sensation  of  cold  over  his  whole 
body,  particularly  at  his  chest,  and  half-opening  his  eyes, 
he  perceived  the  pilot,  Schriften,  leaning  over  him,  and 
holding  between  his  finger  and  his  thumb  a  portion  of 
the  chain  which  had  not  been  concealed,  and  to  which 
was  attached  the  sacred  relic.  Philip  closed  them  again, 
to  ascertain  what  were  the  man's  intentions  :  he  found 
that  he  gradually  dragged  out  the  chain,  and,  when  the 
relic  was  clear,  attempted  to  pass  the  whole  over  his 
head,  evidently  to  gain  possession  of  it.  Upon  his  attempt 
Philip  started  up  and  seized  him  by  the  waist. 


The  Phantom  Ship  87 

**  Indeed ! "  cried  Philip,  with  an  indignant  look,  as 
he  released  the  chain  from  the  pilot's  hand. 

But  Schriften  appeared  not  in  the  least  confused  at  being 
detected  in  his  attempt :  looking  with  his  malicious  one 
eye  at  Philip,  he  mockingly  observed : 

"  Does  that  chain  hold  her  picture  ? — he  !  he  I " 

Vanderdecken  rose,  pushed  him  away,  and  folded  his 
arms. 

"  I  advise  you  not  to  be  quite  so  curious.  Master  Pilot, 
or  you  may  repent  it." 

"  Or  perhaps,"  continued  the  pilot,  quite  regardless  of 
Philip's  wrath,  **  it  may  be  a  child's  caul,  a  sovereign 
remedy  against  drowning." 

"  Go  forward  to  your  duty,  sir,"  cried  Philip. 

**  Or,  as  you  are  a  Catholic,  the  finger-nail  of  a  saint ; 
or,  yes,  I  have  it — a  piece  of  the  holy  cross." 

Philip  started. 

**  That's  it !  that's  it !  "  cried  Schriften,  who  now  went 
forward  to  where  the  seamen  were  standing  at  the  gang- 
way. "  News  for  you,  my  lads  !  "  said  he ;  "  we've  a  bit 
of  the  holy  cross  aboard,  and  so  we  may  defy  the  devil ! " 

Philip,  hardly  knowing  why,  had  followed  Schriften  as 
he  descended  the  poop-ladder,  and  was  forward  on  the 
quarter-deck,  when  the  pilot  made  this  remark  to  the 
seamen. 

**  Ay  !  ay  ! "  replied  an  old  seaman  to  the  pilot ;  "  not 
only  the  devil,  but  the  Flying  Dutchman  to  boot." 

"The   Flying   Dutchman,^   thought   Philip,    "can   that 

refer  to ? "  and  Philip  walked  a  step  or  two  forward, 

so  as  to  conceal  himself  behind  the  mainmast,  hoping  to 
obtain  some  information,  should  they  continue  the  con- 
versation.    In  this  he  was  not  disappointed. 

"  They  say  that  to  meet  with  him  is  worse  than  meeting 
with  the  devil,"  observed  another  of  the  crew. 

"  Who  ever  saw  him  ? "  said  another. 

**  He  has  been  seen,  that's  sartain,  and  just  as  sartain 
that  ill-luck  follows  the  vessel  that  falls  in  with  him." 

"  And  where  is  he  to  be  fallen  in  with  ? " 


88  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  O  !  they  say  that's  not  so  sartain — but  he  cruises  off 
the  Cape." 

**  I  should  like  to  know  the  whole  long  and  short  of 
the  story,"  said  a  third. 

"  I  can  only  tell  what  I've  heard.  It's  a  doomed  vessel ; 
they  were  pirates,  and  cut  the  captain's  throat,  I  believe." 

"No!  no!"  cried  Schriften,  "the  captain  is  in  her 
now — and  a  villain  he  was.  They  say  that,  like  somebody 
else  on  board  of  us  now,  he  left  a  very  pretty  wife,  and 
that  he  was  very  fond  of  her." 

"  How  do  they  know  that,  pilot  ?  " 

**  Because  he  always  wants  to  send  letters  home  when 
he  boards  vessels  that  he  falls  in  with.  But,  woe  to  the 
vessel  that  takes  charge  of  them  I — she  is  sure  to  be  lost, 
with  every  soul  on  board  I  " 

"  I  wonder  where  you  heard  all  this,"  said  one  of  the 
men.     "  Did  you  ever  see  the  vessel  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  did  I  "  screamed  Schriften  ;  but,  as  if  recovering 
himself,  his  scream  subsided  into  his  usual  giggle,  and 
he  added,  "  but  we  need  not  fear  her,  boys ;  we've  a  bit 
of  the  true  cross  on  board."  Schriften  then  walked  aft 
as  if  to  avoid  being  questioned,  when  he  perceived  Philip 
by  the  mainmast. 

"  So,  I'm  not  the  only  one  curious  ? — he  !  he  !  Pray 
did  you  bring  that  on  board,  in  case  we  should  fall  in 
with  the  Flying  Dutchman  f  " 

**  I  fear  no  Flying  Dutchman^'*  replied  Philip,  confused. 

"Now  I  think  of  it,  you  are  of  the  same  name;  at 
least  they  say  that  his  name  was  Vanderdecken — eh  ? " 

"  There  are  many  Vanderdeckens  in  the  world  besides 
me,"  replied  Philip,  who  had  recovered  his  composure; 
and  having  made  this  reply,  he  walked  away  to  the  poop 
of  the  vessel. 

"One  would  almost  imagine  this  malignant  one-eyed 
wretch  was  aware  of  the  cause  of  my  embarkation,"  mused 
Philip ;  "but  no !  that  cannot  be.  Why  do  I  feel  such 
a  chill  whenever  he  approaches  me  ?  I  wonder  if  others 
do  i  or  whether  it  is  a  mere  fancy  on  the  part  of  Amine 


The  Phantom  Ship  89 

and  myself.  I  dare  ask  no  questions. — Strange,  too,  that 
the  man  should  feel  such  malice  towards  me.  I  never 
injured  him.  What  I  have  just  overheard  confirms  all  5 
but  there  needed  no  confirmation.  Oh,  Amine !  Amine ! 
but  for  thee,  and  I  would  rejoice  to  solve  this  riddle  at 
the  expense  of  life.  God  in  mercy  check  the  current 
of  my  brain,"  muttered  Philip,  "or  my  reason  cannot 
hold  its  seat ! " 

In  three  days  the  Ter  Schilling  and  her  consorts  arrived 
at  Table  Bay,  where  they  found  the  remainder  of  the 
fleet  at  anchor  waiting  for  them.  Just  at  that  period 
the  Dutch  had  formed  a  settlement  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  where  the  Indian  fleets  used  to  water  and  obtain 
cattle  from  the  Hottentot  tribes  who  lived  on  the  coast, 
and  who  for  a  brass  button  or  a  large  nail  would  willingly 
offer  a  fat  bullock.  A  few  days  were  occupied  in  com- 
pleting the  water  of  the  squadron,  and  then  the  ships, 
having  received  from  the  Admiral  their  instructions  as  to 
the  rendezvous  in  case  of  parting  company,  and  made 
every  preparation  for  the  bad  weather  which  they  anti- 
cipated, again  weighed  their  anchors,  and  proceeded  on 
their  voyage. 

For  three  days  they  beat  against  light  and  baffling  winds, 
making  but  little  progress  5  on  the  third,  the  breeze 
sprang  up  strong  from  the  southward,  until  it  increased 
to  a  gale,  and  the  fleet  were  blown  down  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  bay.  On  the  seventh  day  the  Ter  Schilling 
found  herself  alone,  but  the  weather  had  moderated. 
Sail  was  again  made  upon  the  vessel,  and  her  head  put 
to  the  eastward,  that  she  might  run  in  for  the  land. 

"We  are  unfortunate  in  thus  parting  with  all  our 
consorts,"  observed  Mynheer  Kloots  to  Philip,  as  they 
were  standing  at  the  gangway ;  "  but  it  must  be  near 
meridian,  and  the  sun  will  enable  me  to  discover  our 
latitude.  It  is  difficult  to  say  how  far  we  may  have  been 
swept  by  the  gale  and  the  currents  to  the  northward. 
Boy,  bring  up  my  cross-staff,  and  be  mindful  that  you  do 
not  strike  it  against  anything  as  you  come  up." 


90  The  Phantom  Ship 

The  cross-stafF  at  that  time  was  the  simple  instrument 
used  to  discover  the  latitude,  which  it  would  give  to  a 
nice  observer  to  within  five  or  ten  miles.  Quadrants 
and  sextants  were  the  invention  of  a  much  later  period. 
Indeed,  considering  that  they  had  so  little  knowledge  of 
navigation  and  the  variation  of  the  compass,  and  that  their 
easting  and  westing  could  only  be  computed  by  dead 
reckoning,  it  is  wonderful  how  our  ancestors  traversed  the 
ocean  in  the  way  they  did,  with  comparatively  so  few 
accidents. 

**We  are  full  three  degrees  to  the  northward  of  the 
Cape,"  observed  Mynheer  Kloots,  after  he  had  computed 
his  latitude.  "The  currents  must  be  running  strong; 
the  wind  is  going  down  fast,  and  we  shall  have  a  change, 
if  I  mistake  not." 

Towards  the  evening  it  fell  calm,  with  a  heavy  swell 
setting  towards  the  shore  j  shoals  of  seals  appeared  on  the 
surface,  following  the  vessel  as  she  drove  before  the  swell  j 
the  fish  darted  and  leaped  in  every  direction,  and  the  ocean 
around  them  appeared  to  be  full  of  life  as  the  sun  slowly 
descended  to  the  horizon. 

"  What  is  that  noise  we  hear  ? "  observed  Philip ;  "it 
sounds  like  distant  thunder." 

**  I  hear  it,"  replied  Mynheer  Kloots.  "  Aloft  there ; 
do  you  see  the  land  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  man,  after  a  pause  in  ascending  the 
topmast  shrouds.  "  It  is  right  ahead — low  sand-hills,  and 
the  sea  breaking  high." 

"  Then  that  must  be  the  noise  we  hear.  We  sweep  in 
fast  with  this  heavy  ground-swell.  I  wish  the  breeze 
would  spring  up." 

The  sun  was  dipping  under  the  horizon,  and  the  calm 
still  continued :  the  swell  had  driven  the  Ter  Schilling  so 
rapidly  on  the  shore  that  now  they  could  see  the  breakers, 
which  fell  over  with  the  noise  of  thunder. 

"  Do  you  know  the  coast,  pilot  ? "  observed  the  captain 
to  Schriften,  who  stood  by. 

"  Know  it  well,"  replied  Schriften ;  "  the  sea  breaks  ia 


The  Phantom  Ship  91 

twelve  fathoms  at  least.  In  half  an  hour  the  good  ship 
will  be  beaten  into  toothpicks,  without  a  breeze  to  help 
us."  And  the  little  man  giggled  as  if  pleased  at  the 
idea. 

The  anxiety  of  Mynheer  Kloots  was  not  to  be  concealed; 
his  pipe  was  every  moment  in  and  out  of  his  mouth.  The 
crew  remained  in  groups  on  the  forecastle  and  gangway, 
listening  with  dismay  to  the  fearful  roaring  of  the  breakers. 
The  sun  had  sunk  down  below  the  horizon,  and  the  gloom 
of  night  was  gradually  adding  to  the  alarm  of  the  crew  of 
the  Ter  Schilling. 

**  We  must  lower  down  the  boats,"  said  Mynheer  Kloots 
to  the  first  mate,  "  and  try  to  tow  her  off.  We  cannot  do 
much  good,  I'm  afraid ;  but  at  all  events  the  boats  will  be 
ready  for  the  men  to  get  into  before  she  drives  on  shore. 
Get  the  tow  ropes  out  and  lower  down  the  boats,  while  I 
go  in  to  acquaint  the  supercargo." 

Mynheer  Von  Stroom  was  sitting  in  all  the  dignity  of 
his  office,  and  it  being  Sunday  had  put  on  his  very  best 
wig.  He  was  once  more  reading  over  the  letter  to  the 
Company,  relative  to  the  bear,  when  Mynheer  Kloots  made 
his  appearance,  and  informed  him  in  a  few  words  that  they 
were  in  a  situation  of  peculiar  danger,  and  that  in  all 
probability  the  ship  would  be  in  pieces  in  less  than  half  an 
hour.  At  this  alarming  intelligence.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom 
jumped  up  from  his  chair,  and  in  his  hurry  and  fear 
knocked  down  the  candle  which  had  just  been  lighted. 

"  In  danger !  Mynheer  Kloots  ! — why,  the  water  is 
smooth  and  the  wind  down !  My  hat — where  is  my  hat 
and  my  cane  ?  I  will  go  on  deck.  Quick !  A  light — 
Mynheer  Kloots,  if  you  please  to  order  a  light  to  be 
brought  ;  I  can  find  nothing  in  the  dark.  Mynheer 
KLloots,  why  do  you  not  answer  ?  Mercy  on  me !  he  is 
gone  and  has  left  me." 

Mynheer  Kloots  had  gone  to  fetch  a  light,  and  now 
returned  with  it.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  put  on  his  hat, 
and  walked  out  of  the  cabin.  The  boats  were  down,  and 
the  ship's  head  had  been  turned  round  from  the  land  ;  but 


92  The  Phantom  Ship 

it  was  now  quite  dark,  and  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the 
white  line  of  foam  created  by  the  breakers  as  they  dashed 
with  an  awful  noise  against  the  shore. 

**  Mynheer  Kloots,  if  you  please,  Fll  leave  the  ship 
directly.  Let  my  boat  come  alongside — I  must  have  the 
largest  boat  for  the  Honourable  Company's  service — for 
the  papers  and  myself." 

"  I'm  afraid  not.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,"  replied  Kloots ; 
"  our  boats  will  hardly  hold  the  men  as  it  is,  and  every 
man's  life  is  as  valuable  to  himself  as  yours  is  to  you." 

"But,  Mynheer,  I  am  the  Company's  supercargo.  I 
order  you — I  wiU  have  one — refuse  if  you  dare." 

"  I  dare,  and  do  refuse,"  replied  the  captain,  taking  his 
pipe  out  of  his  mouth. 

"  Well,  well,"  replied  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  who  now 

lost  aU  presence  of  mind — "  we  will,  sir as  soon  as  we 

arrive Lord  help   us  ! we   are   lost.     O  Lord !  O 

Lord ! "  And  here  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  not  knowing 
why,  hurried  down  to  the  cabin,  and  in  his  haste  tumbled 
over  the  bear  Johannes,  who  crossed  his  path,  and  in  his 
fall  his  hat  and  flowing  wig  parted  company  with  his  head. 

**  O  mercy  !  where  am  I  ?  Help — help  here !  for  the 
Company's  honourable  supercargo  !  " 

"  Cast  off  there  in  the  boats,  and  come  on  board,"  cried 
Mynheer  Kloots ;  "  we  have  no  time  to  spare.  Quick 
now,  Philip,  put  in  the  compass,  the  water,  and  the 
biscuit  5  we  must  leave  her  in  five  minutes." 

So  appalling  was  the  roar  of  the  breakers,  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  the  orders  could  be  heard.  In  the 
meantime  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  lay  upon  the  deck,  kicking, 
sprawling,  and  crying  for  help. 

**  There  is  a  light  breeze  off  the  shore,"  cried  Philip, 
holding  up  his  hand. 

"  There  is,  but  I'm  afraid  it  is  too  late.  Hand  the 
things  into  the  boats,  and  be  cool,  my  men.  We  have  yet 
a  chance  of  saving  her,  if  the  wind  freshens." 

They  were  now  so  near  to  the  breakers  that  they  felt 
the  swell  in  which  the  vessel  lay  becalmed  turned  over 


The  Phantom  Ship  93 

here  and  there  on  its  long  line,  but  the  breeze  freshened, 
and  the  vessel  was  stationary !  the  men  were  all  in  the 
boats,  with  the  exception  of  Mynheer  Kloots,  the  mates, 
and  Mynheer  Von  Stroom. 

"  She  goes  through  the  water  now,"  said  Philip. 

*'  Yes,  I  think  we  shall  save  her,"  replied  the  captain : 
"  steady  as  you  go,  Hillebrant,"  continued  he  to  the  first 
mate,  who  was  at  the  helm.  "  We  leave  the  breakers  now 
— only  let  the  breeze  hold  ten  minutes." 

The  breeze  was  steady,  the  Ter  Schilling  stood  off  from 
the  land,  again  it  fell  calm,  and  again  she  was  swept 
towards  the  breakers ;  at  last  the  breeze  came  off  strong, 
and  the  vessel  cleaved  through  the  water.  The  men  were 
called  out  of  the  boats  ;  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  was  picked 
up  along  with  his  hat  and  wig,  carried  into  the  cabin,  and 
in  less  than  an  hour  the  Ter  Schilling  was  out  of  danger. 

**  Now  we  will  hoist  up  the  boats,"  said  Mynheer  Kloots, 
*'  and  let  us  all,  before  we  lie  down  to  sleep,  thank  God 
for  our  deliverance." 

During  that  night  the  Ter  Schilling  made  an  offing  of 
twenty  miles,  and  then  stood  to  the  southward ;  towards 
the  morning  the  wind  again  fell,  and  it  was  nearly  calm. 

Mynheer  Kloots  had  been  on  deck  about  an  hour,  and 
had  been  talking  with  Hillebrant  upon  the  danger  of  the 
evening,  and  the  selfishness  and  pusillanimity  of  Mynheer 
Von  Stroom,  when  a  loud  noise  was  heard  in  the  poop-cabin. 

"  What  can  that  be  ? "  said  the  captain ;  "  has  the  good 
man  lost  his  senses  from  the  fright  ?  Why,  he  is  knock- 
ing the  cabin  to  pieces." 

At  this  moment  the  servant  of  the  supercargo  ran  out  of 
the  cabin. 

"  Mynheer  Kloots,  hasten  in — help  my  master — he  will 
be  killed— the  bear  ! — the  bear !  " 

**  The  bear  !  what,  Johannes  ?  "  cried  Mynheer  Kloots. 
"Why,  the  animal  is  as  tame  as  a  dog.  I  will  go  and 
see." 

But  before  Mynheer  Kloots  could  walk  into  the  cabin, 
out  flew  in  his  shirt   the   affrighted  supercargo.     "  My 


94  The  Phantom  Ship 

God  !  my  God  !  am  I  to  be  murdered  ? — eaten  alive  ?  " 
cried  he,  running  forward,  and  attempting  to  climb  the 
fore-rigging. 

Mynheer  Kloots  followed  the  motions  of  Mynheer  Von 
Stroom  with  surprise,  and  when  he  found  him  attempting 
to  mount  the  rigging,  he  turned  aft  and  walked  into  the 
cabin,  when  he  found  to  his  surprise  that  Johannes  was 
indeed  doing  mischief. 

The  panelling  of  the  state  cabin  of  the  supercargo  had 
been  beaten  down,  the  wig  boxes  lay  in  fragments  on  the 
floor,  the  two  spare  wigs  were  lying  by  them,  and  upon 
them  were  strewed  fragments  of  broken  pots  and  masses 
of  honey,  which  Johannes  was  licking  up  with  peculiar 
gusto. 

The  fact  was,  that  when  the  ship  anchored  at  Table 
Bay,  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  who  was  very  partial  to  honey, 
had  obtained  some  from  the  Hottentots.  The  honey  his 
careful  servant  had  stowed  away  in  jars,  which  he  had 
placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  two  long  boxes,  ready  for  his 
master's  use  during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage.  That 
morning,  the  servant  fancying  that  the  wig  of  the  previous 
night  had  suffered  when  his  master  tumbled  over  the  bear, 
opened  one  of  the  boxes  to  take  out  another.  Johannes 
happened  to  come  near  the  door,  and  scented  the  honey. 
Now,  partial  as  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  was  to  honey,  all 
bears  are  still  more  so,  and  will  venture  everything  to 
obtain  it.  Johannes  had  yielded  to  the  impulse  of  his 
species,  and,  following  the  scent,  had  come  into  the  cabin, 
and  was  about  to  enter  the  sleeping-berth  of  Mynheer 
Stroom,  when  the  servant  slammed  the  door  in  his  face  ; 
whereupon  Johannes  beat  in  the  panels,  and  found  an 
entrance.  He  then  attacked  the  wig-boxes,  and,  by  show- 
ing a  most  formidable  set  of  teeth,  proved  to  the  servant, 
who  attempted  to  drive  him  off,  that  he  would  not  be 
trifled  with.  In  the  meanwhile,  Mynheer  Von  Stroom 
was  in  the  utmost  terror  :  not  aware  of  the  purport  of  the 
bear's  visit,  he  imagined  that  the  animal's  object  was  to 
attack  him.     His  servant  took  to  his  heels  after  a  vain 


The  Phantom  Ship  95 

effort  to  save  the  last  box,  and  Mynheer  Von  Stroom, 
then  finding  himself  alone,  at  length  sprang  out  of  his 
bed-place,  and  escaped  as  we  have  mentioned  to  the  fore- 
castle, leaving  Johannes  master  of  the  field,  and  luxuriating 
upon  the  spolia  opima.  Mynheer  Kloots  immediately  per- 
ceived how  the  case  stood.  He  went  up  to  the  bear  and 
spoke  to  him,  then  kicked  him,  but  the  bear  would  not 
leave  the  honey,  and  growled  furiously  at  the  interruption. 
"  This  is  a  bad  job  for  you,  Johannes,"  observed  Mynheer 
Kloots  ;  "  now  you  will  leave  the  ship,  for  the  supercargo 
has  just  grounds  of  complaint.  Oh,  well !  you  must  eat 
the  honey,  because  you  will."  So  saying.  Mynheer  Kloots 
left  the  cabin,  and  went  to  look  after  the  supercargo,  who 
remained  on  the  forecastle,  with  his  bald  head  and  meagre 
body,  haranguing  the  men  in  his  shirt,  which  fluttered  in 
the  breeze. 

"  I  am  very  sorry.  Mynheer  Von  Stroom,"  said  Kloots, 
**  but  the  bear  shall  be  sent  out  of  the  vessel." 

**  Yes,  yes.  Mynheer  Kloots,  but  this  is  an  affair  for  the 
most  puissant  Company — the  lives  of  their  servants  are  not 
to  be  sacrificed  to  the  folly  of  a  sea-captain.  I  have  nearly 
been  torn  to  pieces." 

"  The  animal  did  not  want  you  ;  all  he  wanted  was  the 
honey,"  replied  Kloots.  "He  has  got  it,  and  I  myself 
cannot  take  it  from  him.  There  is  no  altering  the  nature 
of  an  animal.  Will  you  be  pleased  to  walk  down  into  my 
cabin  until  the  beast  can  be  secured  }  He  shall  not  go 
loose  again." 

Mynheer  Von  Stroom,  who  considered  his  dignity  at 
variance  with  his  appearance,  and  who  perhaps  was  aware 
that  majesty  deprived  of  its  externals  was  only  a  jest, 
thought  it  advisable  to  accept  the  offer.  After  some 
trouble,  with  the  assistance  of  the  seamen,  the  bear  was 
secured  and  dragged  away  from  the  cabin,  much  against 
his  will,  for  he  had  still  some  honey  to  lick  off  the  curls  of 
the  full-bottomed  wigs.  He  was  put  into  durance  vile, 
having  been  caught  in  the  flagrant  act  of  burglary  on  the 
high  seas.     This  new  adventure  was  the  topic  of  the  day, 


g6  The  Phantom  Ship 

for  it  was  again  a  dead  calm,  and  the  ship  lay  motionless 
on  the  glassy  wave. 

"  The  sun  looks  red  as  he  sinks,"  observed  Hillebrant 
to  the  captain,  who  with  Philip  was  standing  on  the 
poop ;  "we  shall  have  wind  before  to-morrow,  if  I 
mistake  not." 

"  I  am  of  your  opinion,"  replied  Mynheer  Kloots.  "  It 
is  strange  that  we  do  not  fall  in  with  any  of  the  vessels 
of  the  fleet.  They  must  all  have  been  driven  down 
here." 

"  Perhaps  they  have  kept  a  wider  ofEng.** 

**  It  had  been  as  well  if  we  had  done  the  same,"  said 
Kloots,  "  That  was  a  narrow  escape  last  night.  There 
is  such  a  thing  as  having  too  little  as  well  as  having  too 
much  wind." 

A  confused  noise  was  heard  among  the  seamen  who  were 
collected  together,  and  looking  in  the  direction  of  the 
vessel's  quarter,  "  A  ship  !  No — Yes,  it  is  !  "  was  repeated 
more  than  once. 

"  They  think  they  see  a  ship,"  said  Schriften,  coming  on 
the  poop.     «  He  !  he !  " 

*' Where?" 

"  There  in  the  gloom  !  "  said  the  pilot,  pointing  to  the 
darkest  quarter  in  the  horizon,  for  the  sun  had  set. 

The  captain,  Hillebrant,  and  Philip  directed  their  eyes 
to  the  quarter  pointed  out,  and  thought  they  could 
perceive  something  like  a  vessel.  Gradually  the  gloom 
seemed  tc  clear  away,  and  a  lambent  pale  blaze  to  light  up 
that  part  of  the  horizon.  Not  a  breath  of  wind  was  on  the 
water — the  sea  was  like  a  mirror — more  and  more  distinct 
did  the  vessel  appear,  till  her  hull,  masts  and  yards  were 
clearly  visible.  They  looked  and  rubbed  their  eyes  to 
help  their  vision,  for  scarcely  could  they  believe  that  which 
they  did  see.  In  the  centre  of  the  pale  light,  which  extended 
about  fifteen  degrees  above  the  horizon,  there  was  indeed 
a  large  ship  about  three  miles  distant ;  but,  although  it 
was  a  perfect  calm,  she  was  to  all  appearance  buffeting  in 
a  violent  gale,  plunging  and  lifting  over  a  surface  that  was 


The  Phantom  Ship  97 

smooth  as  glass,  now  careening  to  her  bearing,  then 
recovering  herself.  Her  topsails  and  mainsail  were  furled, 
and  the  yards  pointed  to  the  wind  ;  she  had  no  sail  set,  but 
a  close-reefed  fore-sail,  a  storm  stay-sail,  and  trysail  abaft. 
She  made  little  way  through  the  water,  but  apparently 
neared  them  fast,  driven  down  by  the  force  of  the  gale. 
Each  minute  she  was  plainer  to  the  view.  At  last,  she  was 
seen  to  wear,  and  in  so  doing,  before  she  was  brought  to  the 
wind  on  the  other  tack,  she  was  so  close  to  them  that  they 
could  distinguish  the  men  on  board :  they  could  see  the 
foaming  water  as  it  was  hurled  from  her  bows  ;  hear  the 
shrill  whistle  of  the  boatswain's  pipes,  the  creaking  of  the 
ship's  timbers,  and  the  complaining  of  her  masts  ;  and  then 
the  gloom  gradually  rose,  and  in  a  few  seconds  she  had 
totally  disappeared. 

"  God  in  heaven  !  "  exclaimed  Mynheer  Kloots. 

Philip  felt  a  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  and  the  cold  darted 
through  his  whole  frame.  He  turned  round  and  met  the 
one  eye  of  Schriften,  who  screamed  in  his  ear — 

"  Philip  Vanderdecken — That's  the  Flying  Dutch- 
man  I  " 


Chapter   X 

The  sudden  gloom  which  had  succeeded  to  the  pale  light 
had  the  effect  of  rendering  every  object  still  more  indistinct 
to  the  astonished  crew  of  the  Ter  Schilling,  For  a  moment 
or  more  not  a  word  was  uttered  by  a  soul  on  board.  Some 
remained  with  their  eyes  still  strained  towards  the  point 
where  the  apparition  had  been  seen,  others  turned  away 
full  of  gloomy  and  foreboding  thoughts.  Hillebrant  was 
the  first  who  spoke  :  turning  round  to  the  eastern  quarter, 
and  observing  a  light  on  the  horizon,  he  started,  and 
seizing  Philip  by  the  arm,  cried  out,  "  What's  that  ?  " 

"  That  is  only  the  moon  rising  from  the  bank  of  clouds," 
replied  Philip,  mournfully. 

"  Well  !  "  observed  Mynheer  Kloots,  wiping  his 
p.s.  G 


98  The  Phantom  Ship 

forehead,  which  was  damp  with  perspiration,  **  I  have 
been  told  of  this  before,  but  I  have  mocked  at  the 
narration." 

Philip  made  no  reply.  Aware  of  the  reality  of  the  vision, 
and  how  deeply  it  interested  him,  he  felt  as  if  he  were  a 
guilty  person. 

The  moon  had  now  risen  above  the  clouds,  and  was 
pouring  her  mild  pale  light  over  the  slumbering  ocean. 
With  a  simultaneous  impulse,  everyone  directed  his  eyes 
to  the  spot  where  the  strange  vision  had  last  been  seen  ; 
and  all  was  a  dead,  dead  calm. 

Since  the  apparition,  the  pilot,  Schriften,  had  remained 
on  the  poop  ;  he  now  gradually  approached  Mynheer  Kloots, 
and  looking  round,  said — 

**  Mynheer  Kloots,  as  pilot  of  this  vessel,  I  tell  you  that 
you  must  prepare  for  very  bad  weather." 

**  Bad  weather  !  "  said  Klloots,  rousing  himself  from  a 
deep  reverie. 

"  Yes,  bad   weather,  Mynheer  Kloots.      There  never 

was  a  vessel  which  fell  in  with- what  we  have  just  seen, 

but  met  with  disaster  soon  afterwards.     The  very  name  of 
Vanderdecken  is  unlucky — He  !  he  !  " 

Philip  would  have  replied  to  the  sarcasm,  but  he  could 
not ;  his  tongue  was  tied. 

"  What  has  the  name  of  Vanderdecken  to  do  with  it  ?  " 
observed  Kloots. 

"Have  you  not  heard,  then?  The  captain  of  that 
vessel  we  have  just  seen  is  a  Mynheer  Vanderdecken — he 
is  the  Flying  Dutchman  !  " 

"  How  know  you  that,  pilot  ? "  inquired  Hillebrant. 

**  I  know  that,  and  much  more,  if  I  chose  to  tell," 
replied  Schriften;  **but  never  mind,  I  have  warned  you 
of  bad  weather,  as  is  my  duty  •, "  and,  with  these  words, 
Schriften  went  down  the  poop-ladder. 

**  God  in  heaven !  I  never  was  so  puzzled  and  so 
frightened  in  my  life,"  observed  Kloots.  "  I  don't  know 
what  to  think  or  say. — What  think  you,  Philip  ?  was  it 
not  supernatural  ? " 


The  Phantom  Ship  99 

"  Yes,"  replied  Philip,  mournfully.  "  I  have  no  doubt 
of  it." 

"  I  thought  the  days  of  miracles  had  passed,"  said  the 
captain,  **  and  that  we  were  now  left  to  our  own  exertions, 
and  had  no  other  warnings  but  those  the  appearance  of  the 
heavens  gave  us." 

"  And  they  warn  us  now,"  observed  Hillebrant.  "  See 
how  that  bank  of  clouds  has  risen  within  these  five  minutes — 
the  moon  has  escaped  from  it,  but  it  will  soon  catch  her  again 
— and  see,  there  is  a  flash  of  lightning  in  the  north-west." 

**  Well,  my  sons,  I  can  brave  the  elements  as  well  as 
any  man,  and  do  my  best.  I  have  cared  little  for  gales  or 
stress  of  weather  j  but  I  like  not  such  a  warning  as  we 
have  had  to-night.  My  heart's  as  heavy  as  lead,  and  that's 
the  truth.  Philip,  send  down  for  the  bottle  of  schnapps, 
if  it  is  only  to  clear  my  brain  a  little." 

Philip  was  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  quit  the  poop ;  he 
wished  to  have  a  few  minutes  to  recover  himself  and 
collect  his  own  thoughts.  The  appearance  of  the  Phantom 
Ship  had  been  to  him  a  dreadful  shock — not  that  he  had 
not  fully  believed  in  its  existence;  but  still,  to  have 
beheld,  to  have  been  so  near  that  vessel — that  vessel  in 
which  his  father  was  fulfilling  his  awful  doom — that  vessel 
on  board  of  which  he  felt  sure  that  his  own  destiny  was  to 
be  worked  out — had  given  a  whirl  to  his  brain.  When  he 
had  heard  the  sound  of  the  boatswain's  whistle  on  board  of 
her,  eagerly  had  he  stretched  his  hearing  to  catch  the  order 
given — and  given,  he  was  convinced,  in  his  father's  voice. 
Nor  had  his  eyes  been  less  called  to  aid  in  his  attempt  to 
discover  the  features  and  dress  of  those  moving  on  her 
decks.  As  soon,  then,  as  he  had  sent  the  boy  up  to 
Mynheer  Kloots,  Philip  hastened  to  his  cabin  and  buried 
his  face  in  the  coverlet  of  his  bed,  and  then  he  prayed — 
prayed  until  he  had  recovered  his  usual  energy  and 
courage,  and  had  brought  his  mind  to  that  state  of 
composure  which  could  enable  him  to  look  forward  calmly 
to  danger  and  difficulty,  and  feel  prepared  to  meet  it  with 
the  heroism  of  a  martyr. 


loo  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  remained  below  not  more  than  half  an  hour.  On 
his  return  to  the  deck,  what  a  change  had  taken  place ! 
He  had  left  the  vessel  floating  motionless  on  the  still 
waters,  with  her  lofty  sails  hanging  down  listlessly  from 
the  yards.  The  moon  then  soared  aloft  in  her  beauty, 
reflecting  the  masts  and  sails  of  the  ship  in  extended  lines 
upon  the  smooth  sea.  Now  all  was  dark  :  the  water 
rippled  short  and  broke  in  foam;  the  smaller  and  lofty 
sails  had  been  taken  in,  and  the  vessel  was  cleaving 
through  the  water;  and  the  wind,  in  fitful  gusts  and 
angry  moanings,  proclaimed  too  surely  that  it  had  been 
awakened  up  to  wrath,  and  was  gathering  its  strength  for 
destruction.  The  men  were  still  busy  reducing  the  sails, 
but  they  worked  gloomily  and  discontentedly.  What 
Schriften,  the  pilot,  had  said  to  them,  Philip  knew  not  y 
but  that  they  avoided  him  and  appeared  to  look  upon  him 
with  feelings  of  ill-will,  was  evident.  And  each  minute 
the  gale  increased. 

"  The  wind  is  not  steady,"  observed  Hillebrant ;  "  there 
is  no  saying  from  which  quarter  the  storm  may  blow :  it 
has  already  veered  round  five  points.  Philip,  I  don't  much 
like  the  appearance  of  things,  and  I  may  say  with  the 
captain  that  my  heart  is  heavy." 

"  And,  indeed,  so  is  mine,"  replied  Philip ;  "  but  we 
are  in  the  hands  of  a  merciful  Providence." 

"  Hard  a-port !  flatten  in  forward !  brail  up  the  trysail, 
my  men !  Be  smart ! "  cried  Kloots,  as  from  the  wind's 
chopping  round  to  the  northward  and  westward,  the  ship 
was  taken  aback,  and  careened  low  before  it.  The  rain 
now  came  down  in  torrents,  and  it  was  so  dark  that  it 
was  with  difliculty  they  could  perceive  each  other  on  the 
deck. 

*'  We  must  clew  up  the  topsails,  while  the  men  can  get 
upon  the  yards.     See  to  it  forward,  Mr  Hillebrant." 

The  lightning  now  darted  athwart  the  firmament,  and 
the  thunder  pealed. 

"  Quick  !  quick,  my  men,  let's  furl  all !  " 

The  sailors  shook  the  water  from  their  streaming  clothes. 


The  Phantom  Ship  loi 

some  worked,  others  took  advantage  of  the  night  to  hide 
themselves  away,  and  commune  with  their  own  fears. 

All  canvas  was  now  taken  off  the  ship,  except  the  fore- 
staysail,  and  she  flew  to  the  southward  with  the  wind  on 
her  quarter.  The  sea  had  now  risen,  and  roared  as  it 
curled  in  foam,  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  the  night  was  dark 
as  Erebus,  and  the  wet  and  frightened  sailors  sheltered 
themselves  under  the  bulwarks.  Although  many  had 
deserted  from  their  duty,  there  was  not  one  who  ventured 
below  that  night.  They  did  not  collect  together  as  usual 
— every  man  preferred  solitude  and  his  own  thoughts. 
The  Phantom  Ship  dwelt  on  their  imaginations,  and 
oppressed  their  brains. 

It  was  an  interminably  long  and  terrible  night — they 
thought  the  day  would  never  come.  At  last  the  darkness 
gradually  changed  to  a  settled  sullen  grey  gloom — which 
was  day.  They  looked  at  each  other,  but  found  no 
comfort  in  meeting  each  other's  eyes.  There  was  no  one 
countenance  in  which  a  beam  of  hope  could  be  found 
lurking.  They  were  all  doomed — they  remained  crouched 
where  they  had  sheltered  themselves  during  the  night,  and 
said  nothing. 

The  sea  had  now  risen  mountains  high,  and  more  than 
once  had  struck  the  ship  abaft.  Kloots  was  at  the 
binnacle,  Hillebrant  and  Philip  at  the  helm,  when  a  wave 
curled  high  over  the  quarter,  and  poured  itself  in  resistless 
force  upon  the  deck.  The  captain  and  his  two  mates  were 
swept  away,  and  dashed  almost  senseless  against  the 
bulwarks — the  binnacle  and  compass  were  broken  into 
fragments — no  one  ran  to  the  helm — the  vessel  broached 
to — the  seas  broke  clear  over  her,  and  the  mainmast  went 
by  the  board. 

All  was  confusion.  Captain  Kloots  was  stunned,  and  it 
was  with  difficulty  that  Philip  could  persuade  two  of  the 
men  to  assist  him  down  below.  Hillebrant  had  been  more 
unfortunate — his  right  arm  was  broken,  and  he  was  other- 
wise severely  bruised ;  Philip  assisted  him  to  his  berth,  and 
then  went  on  deck  again  to  try  and  restore  order. 


I02  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  Vanderdecken  was  not  yet  much  of  a  seaman,  but, 
at  all  events,  he  exercised  that  moral  influence  over  the 
men  which  is  ever  possessed  by  resolution  and  courage. 
Obey  willingly  they  did  not,  but  they  did  obey,  and  in 
half  an  hour  the  vessel  was  clear  of  the  wreck.  Eased  by 
the  loss  of  her  heavy  mast,  and  steered  by  two  of  her  best 
seamen,  she  again  flew  before  the  gale. 

Where  was  Mynheer  Von  Stroom  during  all  this  work 
of  destruction  ?  In  his  bed-place,  covered  up  with  the 
clothes,  trembling  in  every  limb,  and  vowing  that  if  ever 
again  he  put  his  foot  on  shore,  not  all  the  companies  in  the 
world  should  induce  him  to  trust  to  salt-water  again.  It 
certainly  was  the  best  plan  for  the  poor  man. 

But  although  for  a  time  the  men  obeyed  the  orders  of 
Philip,  they  were  soon  seen  talking  earnestly  with  the  one- 
eyed  pilot,  and  after  a  consultation  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour,, 
they  all  left  the  deck,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  at  the 
helm.  Their  reasons  for  so  doing  were  soon  apparent — 
several  returned  with  cans  full  of  liquor,  which  they  had 
obtained  by  forcing  the  hatches  of  the  spirit-room.  For 
about  an  hour  Philip  remained  on  deck,  persuading  the 
men  not  to  intoxicate  themselves,  but  in  vain ;  the  cans  of 
grog  offered  to  the  men  at  the  wheel  were  not  refused, 
and,  in  a  short  time,  the  yawing  of  the  vessel  proved  that 
the  liquor  had  taken  its  effect.  Philip  then  hastened  down 
below  to  ascertain  if  Mynheer  Kloots  was  sufficiently 
recovered  to  come  on  deck.  He  found  him  sunk  into  a  deep 
sleep,  and  with  difficulty  it  was  that  he  roused  him,  and 
made  him  acquainted  with  the  distressing  intelligence. 
Mynheer  EUoots  followed  Philip  on  deck,  but  he  still 
suffered  from  his  fall :  his  head  was  confused,  and  he 
reeled  as  he  walked,  as  if  he  also  had  been  making  free 
with  the  liquor.  When  he  had  been  on  deck  a  few  minutes, 
he  sank  down  on  one  of  the  guns  in  a  state  of  perfect 
helplessness ;  he  had,  in  fact,  received  a  severe  concussion 
of  the  brain.  Hillebrant  was  too  severely  injured  to  be 
able  to  move  from  his  bed,  and  Philip  was  now  aware  of 
the   helplessness   of  their   situation.     Daylight   gradually 


The  Phantom  Ship  103 

disappeared,  and,  as  darkness  came  upon  them,  so  did  the 
scene  become  more  appalling.  The  vessel  still  ran  before 
the  gale,  but  the  men  at  the  helm  had  evidently  changed 
her  course,  as  the  wind  that  was  on  the  starboard  was  now 
on  the  larboard  quarter.  But  compass  there  was  none  on 
deck,  and,  even  if  there  had  been,  the  men  in  their  drunken 
state  would  have  refused  to  listen  to  Philip's  orders  or 
expostulations.  "  He,"  they  said,  "  was  no  sailor,  and  was 
not  to  teach  them  how  to  steer  the  ship  "  The  gale  was  now 
at  its  height.  The  rain  had  ceased,  but  the  wind  had 
increased,  and  it  roared  as  it  urged  on  the  vessel,  which, 
steered  so  wide  by  the  drunken  sailors,  shipped  seas  over 
each  gunnel ;  but  the  men  laughed  and  joined  the  chorus 
of  their  songs  to  the  howling  of  the  gale. 

Schriften,  the  pilot,  appeared  to  be  the  leader  of  the 
ship's  company.  With  the  can  of  liquor  in  his  hand,  he 
danced  and  sang,  snapped  his  fingers,  and,  like  a  demon, 
peered  with  his  one  eye  upon  Philip ;  and  then  would  he 
fall  and  roll  with  screams  of  laughter  in  the  scuppers. 
More  liquor  was  handed  up  as  fast  as  it  was  called  for. 
Oaths,  shrieks,  laughter,  were  mingled  together;  the 
men  at  the  helm  lashed  it  amidships,  and  hastened  to  join 
their  companions,  and  the  Ter  Schilling  flew  before  the 
gale  ;  the  fore-staysail  being  the  only  sail  set,  checking 
her  as  she  yawed  to  starboard  or  to  port.  Philip  re- 
mained on  deck  by  the  poop-ladder.  "  Strange,"  thought 
he,  **  that  I  should  stand  here,  the  only  one  left  now 
capable  of  acting, — that  I  should  be  fated  to  look  by 
myself  upon  this  scene  of  horror  and  disgust — should 
here  wait  the  severing  of  this  vessel's  timbers, — the  loss 
of  life  which  must  accompany  it, — the  only  one  calm  and 
collected,  or  aware  of  what  must  soon  take  place.  God 
forgive  me,  but  I  appear,  useless  and  impotent  as  I  am, 
to  stand  here  like  the  master  of  the  storm, — separated 
as  it  were  from  my  brother  mortals  by  my  own  peculiar 
destiny.  It  must  be  so.  This  wreck  then  must  not  be 
for  me, — I  feel  that  it  is  not, — that  I  have  a  charmed 
life,   or   rather   a   protracted   one,    to    fulfil   the   oath   I 


I04  The  Phantom  Ship 

registered  in  heaven.  But  the  wind  is  not  so  loud,  surely 
the  water  is  not  so  rough :  my  forebodings  may  be  wrong, 
and  all  may  yet  be  saved.  Heaven  grant  it  !  For  how 
melancholy,  how  lamentable  is  it,  to  behold  men  created 
in  God's  own  image,  leaving  the  world,  disgraced  below 
the  brute  creation !  " 

Philip  was  right  in  supposing  that  the  wind  was  not 
so  strong,  nor  the  sea  so  high.  The  vessel,  after  running 
to  the  southward  till  past  Table  Bay,  had,  by  the  altera- 
tion made  in  her  course,  entered  into  False  Bay,  where, 
to  a  certain  degree,  she  was  sheltered  from  the  violence 
of  the  winds  and  waves.  But,  although  the  water  was 
smoother,  the  waves  were  still  more  than  sufficient  to 
beat  to  pieces  any  vessel  that  might  be  driven  on  shore 
at  the  bottom  of  the  bay,  to  which  point  the  Ter  Schilling 
was  now  running.  The  bay  so  far  offered  a  fair  chance 
of  escape,  as,  instead  of  the  rocky  coast  outside  (against 
which,  had  the  vessel  run,  a  few  seconds  would  have 
insured  her  destruction),  there  was  a  shelving  beach  of 
loose  sand.  But  of  this  Philip  could,  of  course,  have 
no  knowledge,  for  the  land  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Bay  had  been  passed  unperceived  in  the  darkness  of 
the  night.  About  twenty  minutes  more  had  elapsed, 
when  Philip  observed  that  the  whole  sea  around  them 
was  one  continued  foam.  He  had  hardly  time  for  con- 
jecture before  the  ship  struck  heavily  on  the  sands,  and 
the  remaining  masts  fell  by  the  board. 

The  crash  of  the  falling  masts,  the  heavy  beating  of  the 
ship  on  the  sands,  which  caused  many  of  her  timbers  to 
part,  with  a  whole  sea  which  swept  clean  over  the  fated 
vessel,  checked  the  songs  and  drunken  revelry  of  the  crew. 
Another  minute,  and  the  vessel  was  swung  round  on  her 
broadside  to  the  sea,  and  lay  on  her  beam  ends.  Philip, 
who  was  to  windward,  clung  to  the  bulwark,  while  the 
intoxicated  seamen  floundered  in  the  water  to  leeward, 
and  attempted  to  gain  the  other  side  of  the  ship.  Much 
to  Philip's  horror,  he  perceived  the  body  of  Mynheer 
Kloots  sink  down  in  the  water  (which  now  was  several 


The  Phantom  Ship  105 

feet  deep  on  the  lee  side  of  the  deck)  without  any  apparent 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  captain  to  save  himself.  He  was 
then  gone,  and  there  were  no  hopes  for  him.  Philip 
thought  of  Hillebrant,  and  hastened  down  below  ;  he 
found  him  still  in  his  bed-place,  lying  against  the  side. 
He  lifted  him  out,  and  with  difficulty  climbed  with  him 
on  deck,  and  laid  him  in  the  long-boat  on  the  booms, 
as  the  best  chance  of  saving  his  life.  To  this  boat,  the 
only  one  which  could  be  made  available,  the  crew  had 
also  repaired ;  but  they  repulsed  Philip,  who  would  have 
got  into  her;  and,  as  the  sea  made  clean  breakers  over 
them,  they  cast  loose  the  lashings  which  confined  her. 
With  the  assistance  of  another  heavy  sea  which  lifted  her 
from  the  chocks,  she  was  borne  clear  of  the  booms  and 
dashed  over  the  gunnel  into  the  water,  to  leeward,  which 
was  comparatively  smooth — not,  however,  without  being 
filled  nearly  up  to  the  thwarts.  But  this  was  little  cared 
for  by  the  intoxicated  seamen,  who,  as  soon  as  they  were 
afloat,  again  raised  their  shouts  and  songs  of  revelry  as 
they  were  borne  away  by  the  wind  and  sea  towards  the 
beach.  Philip,  who  held  on  by  the  stump  of  the  main- 
mast, watched  them  with  an  anxious  eye,  now  perceiving 
them  borne  aloft  on  the  foaming  surf,  now  disappearing 
in  the  trough.  More  and  more  distant  were  the  sounds 
of  their  mad  voices,  till,  at  last,  he  could  hear  them  no 
more, — he  beheld  the  boat  balanced  on  an  enormous 
rolling  sea,  and  then  he  saw  it  not  again. 

Philip  knew  that  now  his  only  chance  was  to  remain 
with  the  vessel,  and  attempt  to  save  himself  upon  some 
fragment  of  the  wreck.  That  the  ship  would  long  hold 
together  he  felt  was  impossible;  already  she  had  parted 
her  upper  decks,  and  each  shock  of  the  waves  divided  her 
more  and  more.  At  last,  as  he  clung  to  the  mast,  he  heard 
a  noise  abaft,  and  he  then  recollected  that  Mynheer 
Von  Stroom  was  still  in  his  cabin.  Philip  crawled  aft, 
and  found  that  the  poop-ladder  had  been  thrown  against 
the  cabin  door,  so  as  to  prevent  its  being  opened.  He 
removed  it  and  entered  the  cabin,  where  he  found  Mynheer 


io6  The  Phantom  Ship 

Von  Stroom  clinging  to  windward  with  the  grasp  of  deaths 
— but  it  was  not  death,  but  the  paralysis  of  fear.  He 
spoke  to  him,  but  could  obtain  no  reply;  he  attempted 
to  move  him,  but  it  was  impossible  to  make  him  let 
go  the  part  of  the  bulk-head  that  he  grasped.  A 
loud  noise  and  the  rush  of  a  mass  of  water  told  Philip  that 
the  vessel  had  parted  amid-ships,  and  he  unwillingly 
abandoned  the  poor  supercargo  to  his  fate,  and  went  out 
of  the  cabin  door.  At  the  after-hatchway  he  observed 
something  struggling, — it  was  Johannes  the  bear,  who 
was  swimming,  but  still  fastened  by  a  cord  which  prevented 
his  escape.  Philip  took  out  his  knife,  and  released  the 
poor  animal,  and  hardly  had  he  done  this  act  of  kindness 
when  a  heavy  sea  turned  over  the  after  part  of  the  vessel, 
which  separated  in  many  pieces,  and  Philip  found  himself 
struggling  in  the  waves.  He  seized  upon  a  part  of  the 
deck  which  supported  him,  and  was  borne  away  by  the 
surf  towards  the  beach.  In  a  few  minutes  he  was  near  to 
the  land,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  piece  of  planking  to 
which  he  was  clinging  struck  on  the  sand,  and  then,  being 
turned  over  by  the  force  of  the  running  wave,  Philip  lost 
his  hold,  and  was  left  to  his  own  exertions.  He  struggled 
long,  but,  although  so  near  to  the  shore,  could  not  gain  a 
footing  ;  the  returning  wave  dragged  him  back,  and  thus 
was  he  hurled  to  and  fro  until  his  strength  was  gone.  He 
was  sinking  under  the  wave  to  rise  no  more,  when  he  felt 
something  touch  his  hand.  He  .seized  it  with  the  grasp  of 
death.  It  was  the  shaggy  hide  of  the  bear  Johannes,  who 
was  making  for  the  shore,  and  who  soon  dragged  him 
clear  of  the  surf,  so  that  he  could  gain  a  footing.  Philip 
crawled  up  the  beach  above  the  reach  of  the  waves,  and, 
exhausted  with  fatigue,  sank  down  in  a  swoon. 

When  Philip  was  recalled  from  his  state  of  lethargy, 
his  first  feeling  was  intense  pain  in  his  still  closed  eyes, 
arising  from  having  been  many  hours  exposed  to  the  rays 
of  an  ardent  sun.  He  opened  them,  but  was  obliged  to 
close  them  immediately,  for  the  light  entered  into  them 
like  the  point  of  a  knife.     He  turned  over  on  his  side,  and 


The  Phantom  Ship  107 

covering  them  with  his  hand,  remained  some  time  in  that 
position,  until,  by  degrees,  he  found  that  his  eyesight  was 
restored.  He  then  rose,  and,  after  a  few  seconds  could 
distinguish  the  scene  around  him.  The  sea  was  still 
rough,  and  tossed  about  in  the  surf  fragments  of  the 
vessel ;  the  whole  sand  was  strewed  with  her  cargo  and 
contents.  Near  him  was  the  body  of  Hillebrant,  and  the 
other  bodies  who  were  scattered  on  the  beach  told 
him  that  those  who  had  taken  to  the  boat  had  ail 
perished. 

It  was,  by  the  height  of  the  sun,  about  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  as  near  as  he  could  estimate  ;  but  Philip 
suffered  such  an  oppression  of  mind,  he  felt  so  wearied, 
and  in  such  pain,  that  he  took  but  a  slight  survey.  His 
brain  was  whirling,  and  all  he  demanded  was  repose.  He 
walked  away  from  the  scene  of  destruction,  and  having 
found  a  sandhill,  behind  which  he  was  defended  from  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun,  he  again  lay  down,  and  sank  into 
a  deep  sleep,  from  which  he  did  not  wake  until  the 
ensuing  morning. 

Philip  was  roused  a  second  time  by  the  sensation  of 
something  pricking  him  on  the  chest.  He  started  up,  and 
beheld  a  figure  standing  over  him.  His  eyes  were  still 
feeble,  and  his  vision  indistinct ;  he  rubbed  them  for  a 
time,  for  he  first  thought  it  was  the  bear  Johannes,  and 
again  that  it  was  the  supercargo  Von  Stroom  who  had 
appeared  before  him ;  he  looked  again,  and  found  that  he 
was  mistaken,  although  he  had  warrant  for  supposing  it  to 
be  either  or  both.  A  tall  Hottentot,  with  an  assagai  in 
his  hand,  stood  by  his  side;  over  his  shoulder  he  had 
thrown  the  fresh-severed  skin  of  the  poor  bear,  and  on  his 
head,  with  the  curls  descending  to  his  waist,  was  one  of 
the  wigs  of  the  supercargo  Von  Stroom.  Such  was  the 
gravity  of  the  black's  appearance  in  this  strange  costume 
(for  in  every  other  respect  he  was  naked),  that,  at  any 
other  time,  Philip  would  have  been  induced  to  laugh 
heartily,  but  his  feelings  were  now  too  acute.  He  rose 
upon  his  feet  and   stood  by  the  side  of  the  Hottentot, 


io8  The  Phantom  Ship 

who  still  continued  immovable,  but  certainly  without  the 
slightest  appearance  of  hostile  intentions. 

A  sensation  of  overpowering  thirst  now  seized  upon 
Philip,  and  he  made  signs  that  he  wished  to  drink.  The 
Hottentot  motioned  to  him  to  follow,  and  led  over  the 
sandhills  to  the  beach,  where  Philip  discovered  upwards 
of  fifty  men,  who  were  busy  selecting  various  articles 
from  the  scattered  stores  of  the  vessel.  It  was  evident 
by  the  respect  paid  to  Philip's  conductor,  that  he  was 
the  chief  of  the  kraal.  A  few  words,  uttered  with  the 
greatest  solemnity,  were  sufficient  to  produce,  though 
not  exactly  what  Philip  required,  a  small  quantity  of 
dirty  water  from  a  calabash,  which,  however,  was,  to 
him,  delicious.  His  conductor  then  waved  to  him  to 
take  a  seat  on  the  sand. 

It  was  a  novel  and  appalling,  and  nevertheless  a  ludicrous 
scene :  there  was  the  white  sand,  rendered  still  more 
white  by  the  strong  glare  of  the  sun,  strewed  with  the 
fragments  of  the  vessel,  with  casks  and  bales  of  mer- 
chandise ;  there  was  the  running  surge  with  its  foam, 
throwing  about  particles  of  the  wreck:  there  were  the 
bones  of  whales  which  had  been  driven  on  shore  in  some 
former  gale,  and  which  now,  half-buried  in  the  sand, 
showed  portions  of  huge  skeletons ;  there  were  the 
mangled  bodies  of  Philip's  late  companions,  whose  clothes, 
it  appeared,  had  been  untouched  by  the  savages,  with 
the  exception  of  the  buttons,  which  had  been  eagerly 
sought  after;  there  were  naked  Hottentots  (for  it  was 
summer  time,  and  they  wore  not  their  sheepskin  krosses) 
gravely  stepping  up  and  down  the  sand,  picking  up  every- 
thing that  was  of  no  value,  and  leaving  all  that  civilised 
people  most  coveted ; — to  crown  all,  there  was  the  chief, 
sitting  in  the  still  bloody  skin  of  Johannes  and  the  broad- 
bottomed  wig  of  Mynheer  Stroom,  with  all  the  gravity 
of  a  vice-chancellor  in  his  countenance,  and  without  the 
slightest  idea  that  he  was  in  any  way  ridiculous.  The 
whole  presented,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  strange  and 
chaotic  tableaux  that  ever  was  witnessed. 


The  Phantom  Ship  109 

Although,  at  that  time,  the  Dutch  had  not  very  long 
formed  their  settlement  at  the  Cape,  a  considerable  traffic 
had  been,  for  many  years,  carried  on  with  the  natives  for 
skins  and  other  African  productions.  The  Hottentots 
were  therefore  no  strangers  to  vessels,  and,  as  hitherto 
they  had  been  treated  with  kindness,  were  well-disposed 
towards  Europeans.  After  a  time,  the  Hottentots  began 
to  collect  all  the  wood  which  appeared  to  have  iron  in 
it,  made  it  up  into  several  piles,  and  set  them  on  fire. 
The  chief  then  made  a  sign  to  Philip,  to  ask  him  if  he 
was  hungry;  Philip  replied  in  the  affirmative,  when  his 
new  acquaintance  put  his  hand  into  a  bag  made  of  goat- 
skin, and  pulled  out  a  handful  of  very  large  beetles,  and 
presented  them  to  him.  Philip  refused  them  with  marks 
of  disgust,  upon  which  the  chief  very  sedately  cracked 
and  ate  them ;  and  having  finished  the  whole  handful, 
rose,  and  made  a  sign  to  Philip  to  follow  him.  As  Philip 
rose,  he  perceived  floating  on  the  surf  his  own  chest ; 
he  hastened  to  it,  and  made  signs  that  it  was  his,  took 
the  key  out  of  his  pocket,  and  opened  it,  and  then  made 
up  a  bundle  of  articles  most  useful,  not  forgetting  a  bag 
of  guilders.  His  conductor  made  no  objection,  but  calling 
to  one  of  the  men  near,  pointed  out  the  lock  and  hinges 
to  him,  and  then  set  off,  followed  by  Philip,  across  the 
sand-hills.  In  about  an  hour  they  arrived  at  the  kraal, 
consisting  of  low  huts  covered  with  skins,  and  were  met 
by  the  women  and  children,  who  appeared  to  be  in  high 
admiration  at  their  chief's  new  attire :  they  showed  every 
kindness  to  Philip,  bringing  him  milk,  which  he  drank 
eagerly.  Philip  surveyed  these  daughters  of  Eve,  and, 
as  he  turned  from  their  offensive,  greasy  attire,  their 
strange  forms,  and  hideous  features,  he  sighed  and  thought 
of  his  charming  Amine. 

The  sun  was  now  setting,  and  Philip  still  felt  fatigued. 
He  made  signs  that  he  wished  to  repose.  They  led  him 
into  a  hut,  and,  though  surrounded  as  he  was  with  filth, 
and  his  nose  assailed  by  every  variety  of  bad  smell, 
attacked   moreover   by  insects,   he  laid   his  head  on  his 


no  The  Phantom  Ship 

bundle,  and  uttering  a  short  prayer  of  thanksgiving,  was 
soon  in  a  sound  sleep. 

The  next  morning  he  was  awakened  by  the  chief  of 
the  kraal,  accompanied  by  another  man  who  spoke  a  little 
Dutch.  He  stated  his  wish  to  be  taken  to  the  settlement 
where  the  ships  came  and  anchored,  and  was  fully  under- 
stood ;  but  the  man  said  that  there  were  no  ships  in  the 
bay  at  the  time.  Philip  nevertheless  requested  he  might 
be  taken  there,  as  he  felt  that  his  best  chance  of  getting 
on  board  of  any  vessel  would  be  by  remaining  at  the 
settlement,  and,  at  all  events,  he  would  be  in  the  company 
of  Europeans  until  a  vessel  arrived.  The  distance  he  dis- 
covered was  but  one  day's  march,  or  less.  After  some 
little  conversation  with  the  chief,  the  man  who  spoke 
Dutch  desired  Philip  to  follow  him,  and  he  would  take 
him  there.  Philip  drank  plentifully  from  a  bowl  of  milk 
brought  him  by  one  of  the  women,  and  again  refusing 
a  handful  of  beetles  offered  by  the  chief,  he  took  up  his 
bundle,  and  followed  his  new  acquaintance. 

Towards  evening  they  arrived  at  the  hills,  from  which 
Philip  had  a  view  of  Table  Bay,  and  the  few  houses 
erected  by  the  Dutch.  To  his  delight,  he  perceived  that 
there  was  a  vessel  under  sail  in  the  ofEng.  On  his  arrival 
at  the  beach,  to  which  he  hastened,  he  found  that  she  had 
sent  a  boat  on  shore  for  fresh  provisions.  He  accosted 
the  people,  told  them  who  he  was,  told  them  also  of  the 
fatal  wreck  of  the  Ter  Schillings  and  of  his  wish  to  embark. 

The  officer  in  charge  of  the  boat  willingly  consented  to 
take  him  on  board,  and  informed  Philip  that  they  were 
homeward  bound.  Philip's  heart  leaped  at  the  intelligence. 
Had  she  been  outward  bound,  he  would  have  joined  her  ; 
but  now  he  had  a  prospect  of  again  seeing  his  dear  Amine, 
before  he  re-embarked  to  follow  out  his  peculiar  destiny 
He  felt  that  there  was  still  some  happiness  in  store  for 
him,  that  his  life  was  to  be  chequered  with  alternate 
privation  and  repose,  and  that  his  future  prospect  was  not 
to  be  one  continued  chain  of  suffering  until  death. 

He  was   kindly  received  by  the  captain  of  the  vessel, 


The  Phantom  Ship  iii 

who  freely  gave  him  a  passage  home;  and  in  three  months, 
without  any  events  worth  narrating,  Philip  Vanderdecken 
found  himself  once  more  at  anchor  before  the  town  of 
Amsterdam. 


Chapter  XI 

It  need  hardly  be  observed,  that  Philip  made  all  possible 
haste  to  his  own  little  cottage,  which  contained  all  that  he 
valued  in  this  world.  He  promised  to  himself  some 
months  of  happiness,  for  he  had  done  his  duty  ;  and  he 
felt  that,  however  desirous  of  fulfilling  his  vow,  he  could 
not  again  leave  home  till  the  autumn,  when  the  next  fleet 
sailed,  and  it  was  now  but  the  commencement  of  April. 
Much,  too,  as  he  regretted  the  loss  of  Mynheer  Kloots 
and  Hillebrant,  as  well  as  the  deaths  of  the  unfortunate 
crew,  still  there  was  some  solace  in  the  remembrance  that 
he  was  for  ever  rid  of  the  wretch  Schriften,  who  had 
shared  their  fate ;  and  besides,  he  almost  blessed  the 
wreck,  so  fatal  to  others,  which  enabled  him  so  soon  to 
return  to  the  arms  of  his  Amine. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  Philip  took  a  boat  from 
Flushing,  and  went  over  to  his  cottage  at  Terneuse.  It 
was  a  rough  evening  for  the  season  of  the  year.  The 
wind  blew  fresh,  and  the  sky  was  covered  with  flaky 
clouds,  fringed  here  and  there  with  broad  white  edges,  for 
the  light  of  the  moon  was  high  in  the  heavens,  and  she 
was  at  her  full.  At  times  her  light  would  be  almost 
obscured  by  a  dark  cloud  passing  over  her  disc ;  at  others, 
she  would  burst  out  in  all  her  brightness.  Philip  landed, 
and  wrapping  his  cloak  round  him,  hastened  up  to  his 
cottage.  As  with  a  beating  heart  he  approached,  he  per- 
ceived that  the  window  of  the  parlour  was  open,  and  that 
there  was  a  female  figure  leaning  out.  He  knew  that  it 
could  be  no  other  than  his  Amine,  and,  after  he  crossed 
the  httle  bridge,  he  proceeded  to  the  window,  instead  of 
going  to  the  door.     Amine  (for  it  was  she  who  stood  at 


112  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  window)  was  so  absorbed  in  contemplation  of  the 
heavens  above  her,  and  so  deep  in  communion  with  her 
own  thoughts,  that  she  neither  saw  nor  heard  the  approach 
of  her  husband.  Philip  perceived  her  abstraction,  and 
paused  when  within  four  or  five  yards  of  her.  He  wished 
to  gain  the  door  without  being  observed,  as  he  was  afraid 
of  alarming  her  by  his  too  sudden  appearance,  for  he 
remembered  his  promise,  "  that  if  dead  he  would,  if  per- 
mitted, visit  her  as  his  father  had  visited  his  mother.'*" 
But  while  he  thus  stood  in  suspense,  Amine's  eyes  were 
turned  upon  him :  she  beheld  him,  but  a  thick  cloud  now 
obscured  the  moon's  disc,  and  the  dim  light  gave  to  his 
form,  indistinctly  seen,  an  unearthly  and  shadowy  appear- 
ance. She  recognised  her  husband ;  but  having  no  reason 
to  expect  his  return,  she  recognised  him  as  an  inhabitant 
of  the  world  of  spirits.  She  started,  parted  the  hair  away 
from  her  forehead  with  both  hands,  and  again  earnestly 
gazed  on  him. 

"It  is  I,  Amine,  do  not  be  afraid,"  cried  Philip,  hastily. 

'*  I  am  not  afraid,"  replied  Amine,  pressing  her  hand  to 
her  heart.  "  It  is  over  now  :  spirit  of  my  dear  husband — 
for  such  I  think  thou  art,  I  thank  thee !  Welcome,  even 
in  death,  Philip,  welcome ! "  and  Amine  waved  her  hand 
mournfully,  inviting  Philip  to  enter,  as  she  retired  from 
the  window. 

"  My  God  !  she  thinks  me  dead,"  thought  Philip,  and 
hardly  knowing  how  to  act,  he  entered  in  at  the  window, 
and  found  her  sitting  on  the  sofa.  Philip  would  have 
spoken  ;  but  Amine,  whose  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him  as 
he  entered,  and  who  was  fully  convinced  that  he  was  but 
a  supernatural  appearance,  exclaimed — 

"  So  soon — so  soon  !  O  God  !  thy  will  be  done  :  but  it 
is  hard  to  bear.  Philip,  beloved  Philip  !  I  feel  that  I  soon 
shall  follow  you." 

Philip  was  now  more  alarmed  :  he  was  fearful  of  any 
sudden  reaction  when  Amine  should  discover  that  he  was 
still  alive. 

**  Amine,  dear,  hear  me.     I  have  appeared  unexpectedly. 


The  Phantom  Ship  113 

and  at  an  unusual  hour ;  but  throw  yourself  into  my  arms, 
and  you  will  find  that  your  Philip  is  not  dead." 

"  Not  dead  !  "  cried  Amine,  starting  up. 

"  No,  no,  still  warm  in  flesh  and  blood,  Amine — still 
your  fond  and  doting  husband,"  replied  Philip,  catching 
her  in  his  arms,  and  pressing  her  to  his  heart. 

Amine  sank  from  his  embrace  down  upon  the  sofa,  and 
fortunately  was  relieved  by  a  burst  of  tears,  while  Philip, 
kneeling  by  her,  supported  her. 

"  O  God !  O  God !  I  thank  thee,"  replied  Amine,  at 
last.  "  I  thought  it  was  your  spirit,  Philip.  O  I  was 
glad  to  see  even  that,"  continued  she,  weeping  on  his 
shoulder. 

"  Can  you  listen  to  me,  dearest  ? "  said  Philip,  after  a 
silence  of  a  few  moments. 

**  O  speak,  speak,  love ;  I  can  listen  for  ever." 

In  a  few  words  Philip  then  recounted  what  had  taken 
place,  and  the  occasion  of  his  unexpected  return,  and  felt 
himself  more  than  repaid  for  all  that  he  had  suffered  by  the 
fond  endearments  of  his  still  agitated  Amine. 

"  And  your  father.  Amine  ? " 

"  He  is  well — we  will  talk  of  him  to-morrow." 

**  Yes,"  thought  Philip,  as  he  awoke  next  morning,  and 
dwelt  upon  the  lovely  features  of  his  still  slumbering 
wife ;  "  yes,  God  is  merciful.  I  feel  that  there  is  still 
happiness  in  store  for  me ;  nay  more,  that  that  happiness 
also  depends  upon  my  due  performance  of  my  task,  and 
that  I  should  be  punished  if  I  were  to  forget  my  solemn 
vow.  Be  it  so, — through  danger  and  to  death  will  I 
perform  my  duty,  trusting  to  his  mercy  for  a  reward 
both  here  below  and  in  heaven  above.  Am  I  not  repaid 
for  all  that  I  have  suffered  ?  O  yes,  more  than  repaid," 
thought  Philip,  as,  with  a  kiss,  he  disturbed  the  slumber 
of  his  wife,  and  met  her  full  dark  eyes  fixed  upon  him, 
beaming  with  love  and  joy. 

Before  Philip  went  downstairs,  he  inquired  about 
Mynheer  Poots. 

**My  father  has  indeed  troubled   me   much,"  replied 

P.S.  H 


114  '^^^  Phantom  Ship 

Amine.  "  I  am  obliged  to  lock  the  parlour  when  I  leave 
it,  for  more  than  once  I  have  found  him  attempting  to 
force  the  locks  of  the  buffets.  His  love  of  gold  is  insati- 
able :  he  dreams  of  nothing  else.  He  has  caused  me  much 
pain,  insisting  that  I  never  should  see  you  again,  and  that 
I  should  surrender  to  him  all  your  wealth.  But  he  fears 
me,  and  he  fears  your  return  much  more." 

"  Is  he  well  in  health  ?  " 

"Not  ill,  but  still  evidently  wasting  away, — like  a 
candle  burnt  down  to  the  socket,  flitting  and  flaring 
alternately  *,  at  one  time  almost  imbecile,  at  others,  talking 
and  planning  as  if  he  were  in  the  vigour  of  his  youth.  O 
what  a  curse  it  must  be — that  love  of  money  !  I  believe — 
Fm  shocked  to  say  so,  Philip, — that  that  poor  old  man, 
now  on  the  brink  of  a  grave  into  which  he  can  take 
nothing,  would  sacrifice  your  life  and  mine  to  have 
possession  of  those  guilders,  the  whole  of  which  I  would 
barter  for  one  kiss  from  thee." 

"  Indeed,  Amine,  has  he  then  attempted  anything  in  my 
absence  ?  " 

"I  dare  not  speak  my  thoughts,  Philip,  nor  will  I 
venture  upon  surmises,  which  it  were  difficult  to  prove. 
I  watch  him  carefully; — but  talk  no  more  about  him. 
You  will  see  him  soon,  and  do  not  expect  a  hearty 
welcome,  or  believe  that,  if  given,  it  is  sincere.  I  will 
not  tell  him  of  your  return,  as  I  wish  to  mark  the  effect." 

Amine  then  descended  to  prepare  breakfast,  and  Philip 
walked  out  for  a  few  minutes.  On  his  return,  he  found 
Mynheer  Poots  sitting  at  the  table  with  his  daughter. 

"  Merciful  Allah  !  am  I  right  ? "  cried  the  old  man  :  "  is 
it  you,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  ? " 

"  Even  so,"  replied  Philip,  "  I  returned  last  night." 

**  And  you  did  not  tell  me,  Amine." 

"  I  wished  that  you  should  be  surprised,"  replied  Amine. 

**  I  am  surprised !  When  do  you  sail  again.  Mynheer 
Philip  ?  very  soon,  I  suppose  ?  perhaps  to-morrow  ? "  said 
Mynheer  Poots. 

"  Not  for  many  months,  I  trust,"  replied  Philip. 


The  Phantom  Ship  115 

"  Not  for  many  months ! — that  is  a  long  while  to  be 
idle.  You  must  make  money.  Tell  me,  have  you  brought 
back  plenty  this  time  ? " 

"  No,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  I  have  been  wrecked,  and  very 
nearly  lost  my  life." 

**  But  you  will  go  again  ? " 

**  Yes,  in  good  time  I  shall  go  again." 

**  Very  well,  we  will  take  care  of  your  house  and  your 
guilders." 

"  I  shall  perhaps  save  you  the  trouble  of  taking  care  of 
my  guilders,"  replied  Philip,  to  annoy  the  old  man,  "  for  I 
mean  to  take  them  with  me." 

"  To  take  them  with  you  !  for  what,  pray  ? "  replied 
Poots,  in  alarm. 

"To  purchase  goods  where  I  go,  and  make  more 
money." 

"  But  you  may  be  wrecked  again,  and  then  the  money 
will  be  all  lost.  No,  no;  go  yourself.  Mynheer  Philip; 
but  you  must  not  take  your  guilders." 

"  Indeed  I  will,"  replied  Philip ;  "  when  I  leave  this,  I 
shall  take  all  my  money  with  me." 

During  this  conversation  it  occurred  to  Philip  that,  if 
Mynheer  Poots  could  only  be  led  to  suppose  that  he  took 
away  his  money  with  him,  there  would  be  more  quiet  for 
Amine,  who  was  now  obliged,  as  she  had  informed  him, 
to  be  constantly  on  the  watch.  He  determined,  therefore, 
when  he  next  departed,  to  make  the  doctor  beheve  that  he 
had  taken  his  wealth  with  him. 

Mynheer  Poots  did  not  renew  the  conversation,  but 
sank  into  gloomy  thought.  In  a  few  minutes  he  left  the 
parlour,  and  went  up  to  his  own  room,  when  Philip  stated 
to  his  wife  what  had  induced  him  to  make  the  old  man 
believe  that  he  should  embark  his  property. 

"  It  was  thoughtful  of  you,  Philip,  and  I  thank  you  for 
your  kind  feeling  towards  me  ;  but  I  wish  you  had  said 
nothing  on  the  subject.  You  do  not  know  my  father ;  I 
must  now  watch  him  as  an  enemy." 

"We  have   little   to   fear   from   an  infirm  old   man," 


ii6  The  Phantom  Ship 

replied  Philip,  laughing.  But  Amine  thought  otherwise, 
and  was  ever  on  her  guard. 

The  spring  and  summer  passed  rapidly  away,  for  they 
were  happy.  Many  were  the  conversations  between  Philip 
and  Amine,  relative  to  what  had  passed — the  supernatural 
appearance  of  his  father's  ship,  and  the  fatal  wreck. 

Amine  felt  that  more  dangers  and  difficulties  were  pre- 
paring for  her  husband,  but  she  never  once  attempted  to 
dissuade  him  from  renewing  his  attempts  in  fulfilment  of 
his  vow.  Like  him,  she  looked  forward  with  hope  and 
confidence,  aware  that,  at  some  time,  his  fate  must  be 
accomplished,  and  trusting  only  that  that  hour  would  be 
long  delayed. 

At  the  close  of  the  summer,  Philip  again  went  to 
Amsterdam,  to  procure  for  himself  a  berth  in  one  of  the 
vessels  which  were  to  sail  at  the  approach  of  winter. 

The  wreck  of  the  Ter  Schilling  was  well  known  ;  and  the 
circumstances  attending  it,  with  the  exception  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Phantom  Ship,  had  been  drawn  up  by 
Philip  on  his  passage  home,  and  communicated  to  the 
Court  of  Directors.  Not  only  on  account  of  the  very 
creditable  manner  in  which  that  report  had  been  prepared, 
but  in  consideration  of  his  peculiar  sufferings  and  escape, 
he  had  been  promised  by  the  Company  a  berth,  as  second 
mate,  on  board  of  one  of  their  vessels,  should  he  be  again 
inclined  to  sail  to  the  East  Indies. 

Having  called  upon  the  Directors,  he  received  his 
appointment  to  the  Batavia,  a  fine  vessel  of  about  400  tons 
burden.  Having  effected  his  purpose,  Philip  hastened  back 
to  Terneuse,  and,  in  the  presence  of  Mynheer  Poots,  in- 
formed Amine  of  what  he  had  done. 

"  So  you  go  to  sea  again  ? "  observed  Mynheer  Poots. 

"  Yes,  but  not  for  two  months,  I  expect,"  replied  Philip, 

**  Ah  !  "  replied  Poots,  "  in  two  months  !  "  and  the  old 
man  muttered  to  himself. 

How  true  it  is  that  we  can  more  easily  bear  up  against 
a  real  evil  than  against  suspense  !  Let  it  not  be  supposed 
that   Amine   fretted   at    the   thought  of  her  approaching 


The  Phantom  Ship  117 

separation  from  her  husband ;  she  lamented  it,  but  feeling 
his  departure  to  be  an  imperious  duty,  and  having  it  ever 
in  her  mind,  she  bore  up  against  her  feelings,  and  sub- 
mitted, without  repining,  to  what  could  not  be  averted. 
There  was,  however,  one  circumstance,  which  caused  her 
much  uneasiness — that  was  the  temper  and  conduct  of  her 
father.  Amine,  who  knew  his  character  well,  perceived 
that  he  already  secretly  hated  Philip,  whom  he  regarded  as 
an  obstacle  to  his  obtaining  possession  of  the  money  in  the 
house  ;  for  the  old  man  was  well  aware  that,  if  Philip  were 
dead,  his  daughter  would  care  little  who  had  possession  of, 
or  what  became  of  it.  The  thought  that  Philip  was  about 
to  take  that  money  with  him  had  almost  turned  the  brain 
of  the  avaricious  old  man.  He  had  been  watched  by 
Amine,  and  she  had  seen  him  walk  for  hours  muttering  to 
himself,  and  not,  as  usual,  attending  to  his  profession. 

A  few  evenings  after  his  return  from  Amsterdam, 
Philip,  who  had  taken  cold,  complained  of  not  being 
well. 

"  Not  well !  "  cried  the  old  man,  starting  up ;  "  let  me 
see — yes,  your  pulse  is  very  quick.  Amine,  your  poor 
husband  is  very  ill.  He  must  go  to  bed,  and  I  will  give 
him  something  which  will  do  him  good.  I  shall  charge 
you  nothing,  Philip — nothing  at  all." 

"  I  do  not  feel  so  very  unwell.  Mynheer  Poots,"  replied 
Philip  5**1  have  had  a  bad  headache  certainly." 

"  Yes,  and  you  have  fever  also,  Philip,  and  prevention 
is  better  than  cure ;  so  go  to  bed,  and  take  what  I  send 
you,  and  you  will  be  well  to-morrow." 

Philip  went  upstairs,  accompanied  by  Amine ;  and 
Mynheer  Poots  went  into  his  own  room  to  prepare  the 
medicine.  So  soon  as  Philip  was  in  bed.  Amine  went 
downstairs,  and  was  met  by  her  father,  who  put  a  powder 
into  her  hands  to  give  to  her  husband,  and  then  left 
the  parlour. 

**  God  forgive  me  if  I  wrong  my  father,"  thought 
Amine;  **but  I  have  my  doubts.  Philip  is  ill,  more  so 
than  he  will  acknowledge  j  and  if  he  does  not  take  some 


ii8  The  Phantom  Ship 

remedies,  he  may  be  worse — but  my  heart  misgives  me 
— I  have  a  foreboding.  Yet  surely  he  cannot  be  so 
diabolically  wicked." 

Amine  examined  the  contents  of  the  paper  :  it  was  a 
very  small  quantity  of  dark  brown  powder,  and,  by  the 
directions  of  Mynheer  Foots,  to  be  given  in  a  tumbler 
of  warm  wine.  Mynheer  Foots  had  offered  to  heat  the  wine. 
His  return  from  the  kitchen  broke  Amine's  meditations. 

"  Here  is  the  wine,  my  child ;  now  give  him  a  whole 
tumbler  of  wine,  and  the  powder,  and  let  him  be  covered 
up  warm,  for  the  perspiration  will  soon  burst  out,  and 
it  must  not  be  checked.  Watch  him.  Amine,  and  keep 
the  clothes  on,  and  he  will  be  well  to-morrow  morning." 
And  Mynheer  Foots  quitted  the  room,  saying,  "  Good« 
night,  my  child." 

Amine  poured  out  the  powder  into  one  of  the  silver 
mugs  upon  the  table,  and  then  proceeded  to  mix  it  up 
with  the  wine.  Her  suspicions  had,  for  the  time,  been 
removed  by  the  kind  tone  of  her  father's  voice.  To  do 
him  justice  as  a  medical  practitioner,  he  appeared  always 
to  be  most  careful  of  his  patients.  When  Amine  mixed 
the  powder,  she  examined  and  perceived  that  there  was 
no  sediment,  and  the  wine  was  as  clear  as  before.  This^ 
was  unusual,  and  her  suspicions  revived. 

"  I  like  it  not,"  said  she ;  "  I  fear  my  father — God 
help  me  ! — I  hardly  know  what  to  do — I  will  not  give 
it  to  Fhilip.  The  warm  wine  may  produce  perspiration 
sufficient." 

Amine  paused,  and  again  reflected.  She  had  mixed  the 
powder  with  so  small  a  portion  of  wine  that  it  did  not 
fill  a  quarter  of  the  cup  ;  she  put  it  on  one  side,  filled 
another  up  to  the  brim  with  the  warm  wine,  and  then 
went  up  to  the  bedroom. 

On  the  landing-place  she  was  met  by  her  father,  whom 
she  supposed  to  have  retired  to  rest. 

**  Take  care  you  do  not  spill  it.  Amine.  That  is  right, 
let  him  have  a  whole  cupful.  Stop,  give  it  to  me ;  I  will 
take  it  to  him  myself." 


The  Phantom  Ship  119 

Mynheer  Foots  took  the  cup  from  Amine's  hands,  and 
went  into  Philip's  room. 

"  Here,  my  son,  drink  this  off,  and  you  will  be  well," 
said  Mynheer  Foots,  whose  hand  trembled  so  that  he 
spilt  the  wine  on  the  coverlet.  Amine,  who  watched  her 
father,  was  more  than  ever  pleased  that  she  had  not  put 
the  powder  into  the  cup.  Philip  rose  on  his  elbow, 
drank  off  the  wine,  and  Mynheer  Foots  then  wished  him 
good-night. 

**Do  not  leave  him.  Amine,  I  will  see  all  right,"  said 
Mynheer  Foots,  as  he  left  the  room.  And  Amine,  who 
had  intended  to  go  down  for  the  candle  left  in  the  parlour, 
remained  with  her  husband,  to  whom  she  confided  her 
feelings,  and  also  the  fact  that  she  had  not  given  him 
the  powder. 

**  I  trust  that  you  are  mistaken.  Amine,"  replied  Philip, 
**  indeed  I  feel  sure  that  you  must  be.  No  man  can  be  so 
bad  as  you  suppose  your  father." 

"  You  have  not  lived  with  him  as  I  have ;  you  have  not 
seen  what  I  have  seen,"  replied  Amine.  "  You  know  not 
what  gold  will  tempt  people  to  do  in  this  world — but, 
however,  I  may  be  wrong.  At  all  events,  you  must  go  to 
sleep,  and  I  shall  watch  you,  dearest.  Pray  do  not  speak 
— I  feel  I  cannot  sleep  just  now — I  wish  to  read  a  little — I 
will  lie  down  by-and-bye." 

Philip  made  no  further  objections,  and  was  soon  in  a 
sound  sleep,  and  Amine  watched  him  in  silence  till  mid- 
night long  had  passed. 

**He  breathes  heavily,"  thought  Amine;  "but  had  I 
given  him  that  powder,  who  knows  if  he  had  ever  awoke 
again  ?  My  father  is  so  deeply  skilled  in  the  Eastern 
knowledge,  that  I  fear  him.  Too  often  has  he,  I  well 
know,  for  a  purse  well  filled  with  gold,  prepared  the  sleep 
of  death.  Another  would  shudder  at  the  thought;  but 
he,  who  has  dealt  out  death  at  the  will  of  his  employers, 
would  scruple  little  to  do  so  even  to  the  husband  of  his 
own  daughter ;  and  I  have  watched  him  in  his  moods,  and 
know  his  thoughts   and  wishes.     What  a  foreboding  of 


120  The  Phantom  Ship 

mishap  has  come  over  me  this  evening ! — what  a  fear  of 
evil !  Phihp  is  ill,  'tis  true,  but  not  so  very  ill.  No  !  no  ! 
besides,  his  time  is  not  yet  come  ;  he  has  his  dreadful  task 
to  finish.  I  would  it  were  morning.  How  soundly  he 
sleeps  !  and  the  dew  is  on  his  brow.  I  must  cover  him  up 
warm,  and  watch  that  he  remains  so.  Some  one  knocks 
at  the  entrance-door.  Now  will  they  wake  him.  'Tis  a 
summons  for  my  father." 

Amine  left  the  room,  and  hastened  downstairs.  It  was, 
as  she  supposed,  a  summons  for  Mynheer  Foots  to  a  woman 
taken  in  labour. 

**  He  shall  follow  you  directly,"  said  Amine ;  "  I  will 
now  call  him  up."  Amine  went  upstairs  to  the  room 
where  her  father  slept,  and  knocked  ;  hearing  no  answer, 
as  usual,  she  knocked  again. 

"  My  father  is  not  used  to  sleep  in  this  way,"  thought 
Amine,  when  she  found  no  answer  to  her  second  call.  She 
opened  the  door  and  went  in.  To  her  surprise,  her  father 
was  not  in  bed.  **  Strange,"  thought  she  ;  "  but  I  do  not 
recollect  having  heard  his  footsteps  coming  up  after  he 
went  down  to  take  away  the  lights."  And  Amine  hastened 
to  the  parlour,  where,  stretched  on  the  sofa,  she  discovered 
her  father  apparently  fast  asleep ;  but  to  her  call  he  gave 
no  answer.  *•  Merciful  Heaven !  is  he  dead  ? "  thought 
she,  approaching  the  light  to  her  father's  face.  Yes,  it 
was  so  !  his  eyes  were  fixed  and  glazed — his  lower  jaw  had 
fallen. 

For  some  minutes.  Amine  leant  against  the  wall  in  a 
state  of  bewilderment ;  her  brain  whirled ;  at  last  she 
recovered  herself. 

"  'Tis  to  be  proved  at  once,"  thought  she,  as  she  went 
up  to  the  table,  and  looked  into  the  silver  cup  in  which  she 
had  mixed  the  powder — it  was  empty !  **  The  God  of 
Righteousness  hath  punished  him ! "  exclaimed  Amine ; 
**  but,  O  !  that  this  man  should  have  been  my  father  ! 
Yes  !  it  is  plain.  Frightened  at  his  own  wicked,  damned 
intentions,  he  poured  out  more  wine  from  the  flagon,  to 
blunt  his   feelings   of  remorse ;    and   not   knowing    that 


The  Phantom  Ship  121 

the  powder  was  still  in  the  cup,  he  filled  it  up,  and  drank 
himself — the  death  he  meant  for  another  !  For  another  !  — 
and  for  whom  ?  one  wedded  to  his  own  daughter  ! — ^Philip  ! 
my  husband!  Wert  thou  not  my  father,"  continued 
Amine,  looking  at  the  dead  body,  "  I  would  spit  upon 
thee,  and  curse  thee !  but  thou  art  punished,  and  may  God 
forgive  thee  !  thou  poor,  weak,  wicked  creature  !  " 

Amine  then  left  the  room,  and  went  upstairs,  where  she 
found  Philip  still  fast  asleep,  and  in  a  profuse  perspiration. 

Most  women  would  have  awakened  their  husbands,  but 
Amine  thought  not  of  herself;  Philip  was  ill,  and  Amine 
would  not  arouse  him  to  agitate  him.  She  sat  down  by  the 
side  of  the  bed,  and  with  her  hands  pressed  upon  her  fore- 
head, and  her  elbows  resting  on  her  knees,  she  remained 
in  deep  thought  until  the  sun  had  risen  and  poured  his 
bright  beams  through  the  casement. 

She  was  roused  from  her  reflections  by  another  summons 
at  the  door  of  the  cottage.  She  hastened  down  to  the 
entrance,  but  did  not  open  the  door. 

"  Mynheer  Poots  is  required  immediately,"  said  the  girl, 
who  was  the  messenger. 

**  My  good  Therese,"  replied  Amine,  **  my  father  has 
more  need  of  assistance  than  the  poor  woman  ;  for  his  tra- 
vail in  this  world,  I  fear,  is  well  over.  I  found  him  very 
ill  when  I  went  to  call  him,  and  he  has  not  been  able  to 
quit  his  bed.  I  must  now  entreat  you  to  do  my  message, 
and  desire  Father  Seysen  to  come  hither;  for  my  poor 
father  is,  I  fear,  in  extremity." 

**  Mercy  on  me  !  "  replied  Therese.  "Is  it  so  ?  Fear 
not  but  I  will  do  your  bidding.  Mistress  Amine." 

The  second  knocking  had  awakened  Philip,  who  felt 
that  he  was  much  better,  and  his  headache  had  left  him. 
He  perceived  that  Amine  had  not  taken  any  rest  that 
night,  and  he  was  about  to  expostulate  with  her,  when 
she  at  once  told  him  what  had  occurred. 

"  You  must  dress  yourself,  Philip,"  continued  she,  "  and 
must  assist  me  to  carry  up  his  body,  and  place  it  in  his 
bed,  before  the  arrival  of  the  priest.     God  of  mercy  !  had 


122  The  Phantom  Ship 

I  given  you  that  powder,  my  dearest  Philip — but  let  us  not 
talk  about  it.  Be  quick,  for  Father  Seysen  will  be  here 
soon." 

Philip  was  soon  dressed,  and  followed  Amine  down  into 
the  parlour.  The  sun  shone  bright,  and  his  rays  were 
darted  upon  the  haggard  face  of  the  old  man,  whose  fists 
were  clenched,  and  his  tongue  fixed  between  the  teeth  on 
one  side  of  his  mouth. 

"  Alas  !  this  room  appears  to  be  fatal.  How  many  more 
scenes  of  horror  are  to  pass  within  it  ? " 

"None,  I  trust,"  replied  Amine;  "this  is  not,  to  my 
mind,  the  scene  of  horror.  It  was  when  that  old  man 
(now  called  away — and  a  victim  of  his  own  treachery) 
stood  by  your  bedside,  and  with  every  mark  of  interest 
and  kindness,  offered  you  the  cup — that  was  the  scene  of 
horror,"  said  Amine,  shuddering — "  one  which  long  will 
haunt  me." 

"  God  forgive  him  !  as  I  do,"  replied  Philip,  lifting  up 
the  body,  and  carrying  it  up  the  stairs  to  the  room  which 
had  been  occupied  by  Mynheer  Poots. 

"  Let  it  at  least  be  supposed  that  he  died  in  his  bed, 
and  that  his  death  was  natural,"  said  Amine.  "  My  pride 
cannot  bear  that  this  should  be  known,  or  that  I  should  be 
pointed  at  as  the  daughter  of  a  murderer  !     O  Philip  !  " 

Amine  sat  down,  and  burst  into  tears. 

Her  husband  was  attempting  to  console  her,  when 
Father  Seysen  knocked  at  the  door.  Philip  hastened  down 
to  open  it. 

"  Good  morning,  my  son.     How  is  the  sufferer  ?  ** 

"  He  has  ceased  to  suffer,  father." 

"  Indeed  !  "  replied  the  good  priest,  with  sorrow  in 
his  countenance  ;  "  am  I  then  too  late  ?  yet  have  I  not 
tarried." 

"  He  went  off  suddenly,  father,  in  a  convulsion,"  replied 
Philip,  leading  the  way  upstairs. 

Father  Seysen  looked  at  the  body  and  perceived  that  his 
offices  were  needless,  and  then  turned  to  Amine,  who  had 
not  yet  checked  her  tears. 


The  Phantom  Ship  123 

*'  Weep,  my  child,  weep !  for  you  have  cause,"  said  the 
priest.  "  The  loss  of  a  father*s  love  must  be  a  severe  trial 
to  a  dutiful  and  affectionate  child.  But  yield  not  too  much 
to  your  grief,  Amine ;  you  have  other  duties,  other  ties, 
my  child — you  have  your  husband." 

"  I  know  it,  father,"  replied  Amine ;  **  still  must  I  weep, 
for  I  was  his  daughter." 

"  Did  he  not  go  to  bed  last  night,  then,  that  his  clothes 
are  still  upon  him  ?     When  did  he  first  complain  ?  " 

**  The  last  time  that  I  saw  him,  father,"  replied  Philip, 
"  he  came  into  my  room,  and  gave  me  some  medicine,  and 
then  he  wished  me  good-night.  Upon  a  summons  to 
attend  a  sick-bed,  my  wife  went  to  call  him,  and  found 
him  speechless." 

"It  has  been  sudden,"  replied  the  priest;  "but  he  was 
an  old  man,  and  old  men  sink  at  once.  Were  you  with 
him  when  he  died  ?  " 

**  I  was  not,  sir,"  replied  Philip ;  "  before  my  wife  had 
summoned  me  and  I  had  dressed  myself,  he  had  left  this 
world." 

"  I  trust,  my  children,  for  a  better."  Amine  shuddered. 
**  Tell  me.  Amine,"  continued  the  priest,  **  did  he  show 
signs  of  grace  before  he  died  ?  for  you  know  full  well  that 
he  has  long  been  looked  on  as  doubtful  in  his  creed,  and 
little  attentive  to  the  rites  of  our  holy  church." 

**  There  are  times,  holy  father,"  replied  Amine,  **  when 
even  a  sincere  Christian  can  be  excused,  even  if  he  give 
no  sign.  Look  at  his  clenched  hands,  witness  the  agony 
of  death  on  his  face,  and  could  you,  in  that  state,  expect  a 
sign?" 

**  Alas  !  'tis  but  too  true,  my  child  ;  we  must  then  hope 
for  the  best.  Kneel  with  me,  my  children,  and  let  us  offer 
up  a  prayer  for  the  soul  of  the  departed." 

Philip  and  Amine  knelt  with  the  priest,  who  prayed 
fervently ;  and  as  they  rose,  they  exchanged  a  glance 
which  fully  revealed  what  was  passing  in  the  mind  of 
each. 

"  I  will  send  the  people  to  do  their  offices  for  the  dead. 


I  24  The  Phantom  Ship 

and  prepare  the  body  for  interment,"  said  Father  Seysen ; 
"  but  it  were  as  well  not  to  say  that  he  was  dead  before  I 
arrived,  or  to  let  it  be  supposed  that  he  was  called  away 
without  receiving  the  consolations  of  our  holy  creed." 

Philip  motioned  his  head  in  assent  as  he  stood  at  the 
foot  of  the  bed,  and  the  priest  departed.  There  had 
always  been  a  strong  feeling  against  Mynheer  Foots  in  the 
village ; — his  neglect  of  all  religious  duties — the  doubt 
whether  he  was  even  a  member  of  the  church — his  avarice 
and  extortion — had  created  for  him  a  host  of  enemies; 
but,  at  the  same  time,  his  great  medical  skill,  which  was 
fully  acknowledged,  rendered  him  of  importance.  Had  it 
been  known  that  his  creed  (if  he  had  any)  was  Mahometan, 
and  that  he  had  died  in  attempting  to  poison  his  son-in- 
law,  it  is  certain  that  Christian  burial  would  have  been 
refused  him,  and  the  finger  of  scorn  would  have  been 
pointed  at  his  daughter.  But  as  Father  Seysen,  when 
questioned,  said,  in  a  mild  voice,  that  "  he  had  departed  in 
peace,"  it  was  presumed  that  Mynheer  Foots  had  died  a 
good  Christian,  although  he  had  acted  little  up  to  the 
tenets  of  Christianity  during  his  life.  The  next  day  the 
remains  of  the  old  man  were  consigned  to  the  earth  with 
the  usual  rites  j  and  Fhilip  and  Amine  were  not  a  little 
relieved  in  their  minds  at  everything  having  passed  oiF  so 
quietly. 

It  was  not  until  after  the  funeral  had  taken  place  that 
Philip,  in  company  with  Amine,  examined  the  chamber  of 
his  father-in-law.  The  key  of  the  iron  chest  was  found  in 
his  pocket ;  but  Fhilip  had  not  yet  looked  into  this  darling 
repository  of  the  old  man.  The  room  was  full  of  bottles 
and  boxes  of  drugs,  all  of  which  were  either  thrown  away, 
or,  if  the  utility  of  them  was  known  to  Amine,  removed  to 
a  spare  room.  His  table  contained  many  drawers,  which 
were  now  examined,  and  among  the  heterogeneous  contents 
were  many  writings  in  Arabic — probably  prescriptions. 
Boxes  and  papers  were  also  found,  with  Arabic  characters 
written  upon  them ;  and  in  the  box  which  they  first  took 
up  was  a  powder  similar  to  that  which  Mynheer  Foots  had 


The  Phantom  Ship  125 

given  to  Amine.  There  were  many  articles  and  writings 
which  made  it  appear  that  the  old  man  had  dabbled  in  the 
occult  sciences,  as  they  were  practised  at  that  period,  and 
those  they  hastened  to  commit  to  the  flames. 

**  Had  all  these  been  seen  by  Father  Seysen  !  "  observed 
Amine,  mournfully.  "  But  here  are  some  printed  papers, 
Philip  ! » 

Philip  examined  them,  and  found  that  they  were 
acknowledgments  of  shares  in  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company. 

"No,  Amine,  these  are  money,  or  what  is  as  good— r 
these  are  eight  shares  in  the  Company's  capital,  which  will 
yield  us  a  handsome  income  every  year.  I  had  no  idea 
that  the  old  man  made  such  use  of  his  money.  I  had  some 
intention  of  doing  the  same  with  a  part  of  mine  before  I 
went  away,  instead  of  allowing  it  to  remain  idle." 

The  iron  chest  was  now  to  be  examined.  When  Philip 
first  opened  it,  he  imagined  that  it  contained  but  little ; 
for  it  was  large  and  deep,  and  appeared  to  be  almost  empty; 
but  when  he  put  his  hands  down  to  the  bottom,  he  pulled 
out  thirty  or  forty  small  bags,  the  contents  of  which, 
instead  of  being  silver  guilders,  were  all  coins  of  gold; 
there  was  only  one  large  bag  of  silver  money.  But  this 
was  not  all:  several  small  boxes  and  packets  were  also 
discovered,  which,  when  opened,  were  found  to  contain 
diamonds  and  other  precious  stones.  When  everything 
was  collected,  the  treasure  appeared  to  be  of  great  value. 

"  Amine,  my  love,  you  have  indeed  brought  me  an  un- 
expected dower,"  said  Philip. 

"You  may  well  say  unexpected^'*  replied  Amine.  "These 
diamonds  and  jewels  my  father  must  have  brought  with 
him  from  Egypt.  And  yet  how  penuriously  we  were 
living  until  we  came  to  this  cottage !  And  with  all  this 
treasure  he  would  have  poisoned  my  Philip  for  more ! 
God  forgive  him  !  " 

Having  counted  the  gold,  which  amounted  to  nearly 
fifty  thousand  guilders,  the  whole  was  replaced,  and  they 
left  the  room. 


126  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  I  am  a  rich  man,"  thought  Philip,  after  Amine  had  left 
him  5  **  but  of  what  use  are  riches  to  me  ?  I  might  pur- 
chase a  ship  and  be  my  own  captain,  but  would  not  the 
ship  be  lost  ?  That  certainly  does  not  follow ;  but  the 
chances  are  against  the  vessel;  therefore  I  will  have  no 
ship.  But  is  it  right  to  sail  in  the  vessels  of  others 
with  this  feeling  ? — I  know  not ;  this,  however,  I  know, 
that  I  have  a  duty  to  perform,  and  that  all  our  lives  are  in 
the  hands  of  a  kind  Providence,  which  calls  us  away  when 
he  thinks  fit.  I  will  place  most  of  my  money  in  the  shares 
of  the  Company,  and  if  I  sail  in  their  vessels,  and  they 
come  to  misfortune  by  meeting  with  my  poor  father,  at 
least  I  shall  be  a  common  sufferer  with  the  rest.  And 
now  to  make  my  Amine  more  comfortable." 

Philip  immediately  made  a  great  alteration  in  their  style 
of  living.  Two  female  servants  were  hired  :  the  rooms 
were  more  comfortably  furnished;  and  in  everything  in 
which  his  wife's  comfort  and  convenience  were  concerned, 
he  spared  no  expense.  He  wrote  to  Amsterdam  and 
purchased  several  shares  in  the  Company's  stock.  The 
diamonds  and  his  own  money  he  still  left  in  the  hands  of 
Amine.  In  making  these  arrangements  the  two  months 
passed  rapidly  away,  and  everything  was  complete  when 
Philip  again  received  his  summons,  by  letter,  to  desire 
that  he  would  join  his  vessel.  Amine  would  have  wished 
Philip  to  go  out  as  a  passenger  instead  of  going  as  an 
officer,  but  Philip  preferred  the  latter,  as  otherwise  he 
could  give  no  reason  for  his  voyage  to  India. 

"  I  know  not  why,"  observed  Philip,  the  evening  before 
his  departure,  "but  I  do  not  feel  as  I  did  when  I  last 
went  away  ;  I  have  no  foreboding  of  evil  this  time." 

**  Nor  have  I,"  replied  Amine ;  **  but  I  feel  as  if  you 
would  be  long  away  from  me,  Philip ;  and  is  not  that  an 
evil  to  a  fond  and  anxious  wife  ?  " 

"  Yes,  love,  it  is  ;  but " 

"  O  yes,  I  know  it  is  your  duty,  and  you  must  go," 
replied  Amine,  burying  her  face  in  his  bosom. 

The  next  day  Philip  parted  from  his  wife,  who  behaved 


The  Phantom  Ship  127 

with  more  fortitude  than  on  their  first  separation.  "  All 
were  lost,  but  he  was  saved,"  thought  Amine.  "I  feel 
that  he  will  return  to  me.  God  of  Heaven,  thy  will  be 
done ! " 

Philip  soon  arrived  at  Amsterdam  •,  and  having  purchased 
many  things  which  he  thought  might  be  advantageous  to 
him  in  case  of  accident,  to  which  he  now  looked  forward 
as  almost  certain,  he  embarked  on  board  the  Batavia, 
which  was  lying  at  single  anchor,  and  ready  for  sea. 


Chapter  XII 

Philip  had  not  been  long  on  board,  ere  he  found  that  they 
were  not  likely  to  have  a  very  comfortable  passage ;  for 
the  Batavia  was  chartered  to  convey  a  large  detachment  of 
troops  to  Ceylon  and  Java,  for  the  purpose  of  recruiting 
and  strengthening  the  Company's  forces  at  those  places. 
She  was  to  quit  the  fleet  off  Madagascar,  and  run  direct 
for  the  Island  of  Java ;  the  number  of  soldiers  on  board 
being  presumed  sufficient  to  insure  the  ship  against  any 
attack  or  accidents  from'  pirates  or  enemies'  cruisers.  The 
Batavia^  moreover,  mounted  thirty  guns,  and  had  a  crew 
of  seventy-five  men.  Besides  military  stores,  which  formed 
the  principal  part  of  her  cargo,  she  had  on  board  a  large 
quantity  of  specie  for  the  Indian  market.  The  detachment 
of  soldiers  was  embarking  when  Philip  went  on  board, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  the  decks  were  so  crowded  that  it 
was  hardly  possible  to  move.  Philip,  who  had  not  yet 
spoken  to  the  captain,  found  out  the  first  mate,  and 
immediately  entered  upon  his  duty,  with  which,  from  his 
close  application  to  it  during  his  former  voyage  and 
passage  home,  he  was  much  better  acquainted  than  might 
have  been  imagined. 

In  a  short  time  all  traces  of  hurry  and  confusion  began 
to  disappear,  the  baggage  of  the  troops  was  stowed  away, 
and   the   soldiers   having   been   told   off  in    parties,   and 


128  The  Phantom  Ship 

stationed  with  their  messing  utensils  between  the  guns 
of  the  main  deck,  room  was  thus  afforded  for  working 
the  ship.  PhiUp  showed  great  activity  as  well  as  method 
in  the  arrangements  proposed,  and  the  captain,  during  a 
pause  in  his  own  arduous  duties,  said  to  him — 

"  I  thought  you  were  taking  it  very  easy,  Mr  Vander- 
decken,  in  not  joining  the  ship  before,  but,  now  you  are 
on  board,  you  are  making  up  for  lost  time.  You  have 
done  more  during  the  forenoon  than  I  could  have  expected. 
I  am  glad  that  you  are  come,  though  very  sorry  you  were 
not  here  when  we  were  stowing  the  hold,  which,  I  am 
afraid,  is  not  arranged  quite  so  well  as  it  might  be. 
Mynheer  Struys,  the  first  mate,  has  had  more  to  do  than 
he  could  well  give  attention  to." 

**  I  am  sorry  that  I  should  not  have  been  here,  sir,'* 
replied  Philip  ;  "  but  I  came  as  soon  as  the  Company  sent 
me  word." 

"  Yes,  and  as  they  know  that  you  are  a  married  man, 
and  do  not  forget  that  you  are  a  great  shareholder,  they 
would  not  trouble  you  too  soon.  I  presume  you  will  have 
the  command  of  a  vessel  next  voyage.  In  fact,  you  are 
certain  of  it,  with  the  capital  you  have  invested  in  their 
funds.  I  had  a  conversation  with  one  of  the  senior 
accountants  on  the  subject  this  very  morning." 

Philip  was  not  very  sorry  that  his  money  had  been  put 
out  to  such  good  interest,  as  to  be  the  captain  of  a  ship 
was  what  he  earnestly  desired.  He  replied,  that,  "  he 
certainly  did  hope  to  command  a  ship  after  the  next 
voyage,  when  he  trusted  that  he  should  feel  himself  quite 
competent  to  the  charge." 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt,  Mr  Vanderdecken.  I  can  see 
that  clearly.     You  must  be  very  fond  of  the  sea." 

"  I  am,"  replied  PhiHp  ;  **  I  doubt  whether  I  shall  ever 
give  it  up." 

**  Never  give  it  up  !  You  think  so  now.  You  are 
young,  active,  and  full  of  hope  :  but  you  will  tire  of  it  by- 
and-bye,  and  be  glad  to  lay  by  for  the  rest  of  your  days." 

**  How  many  troops  do  we  embark  ?  "  inquired  Philip. 


The  Phantom  Ship  129 

"  Two  hundred  and  forty-five  rank  and  file,  and  six 
officers.  Poor  fellows  !  there  are  but  few  of  them  will 
ever  return  :  nay,  more  than  one-half  will  not  see  another 
birthday.  It  is  a  dreadful  climate.  I  have  landed  three 
hundred  men  at  that  horrid  hole,  and  in  six  months,  even 
before  I  had  sailed,  there  were  not  one  hundred  left 
alive." 

**  It  is  almost  murder  to  send  them  there,"  observed 
Philip. 

**  Psha !  they  must  die  somewhere,  and  if  they  die  a  little 
sooner,  what  matter  ?  Life  is  a  commodity  to  be  bought 
and  sold  like  any  other.  We  send  so  much  manufactured 
goods  and  so  much  money  to  barter  for  Indian  commodi- 
ties. We  also  send  out  so  much  life,  and  it  gives  a  good 
return  to  the  Company." 

"  But  not  to  the  poor  soldiers,  I  am  afraid." 

"  No  ;  the  Company  buy  it  cheap  and  sell  it  dear,"  re- 
plied the  captain,  who  walked  forward. 

True,  thought  Philip,  they  do  purchase  human  life  cheap, 
and  make  a  rare  profit  of  it,  for  without  these  poor  fellows 
how  could  they  hold  their  possessions  in  spite  of  native 
and  foreign  enemies  ?  For  what  a  paltry  and  cheap  annuity 
do  these  men  sell  their  lives  ?  For  what  a  miserable 
pittance  do  they  dare  all  the  horrors  of  a  most  deadly 
climate,  without  a  chance,  a  hope  of  return  to  their  native 
land,  where  they  might  haply  repair  their  exhausted 
energies,  and  take  a  new  lease  of  life !  Good  God !  if 
these  men  may  be  thus  heartlessly  sacrificed  to  Mammon, 
why  should  I  feel  remorse  if,  in  the  fulfilment  of  a  sacred 
duty  imposed  on  me  by  Him  who  deals  with  us  as  He 
thinks  meet,  a  few  mortals  perish  ?  Not  a  sparrow  falls 
to  the  ground  without  His  knowledge,  and  it  is  for  Him 
to  sacrifice  or  save.  I  am  but  the  creature  of  His  will,  and 
I  but  follow  my  duty, — but  obey  the  commands  of  One 
whose  ways  are  inscrutable.  Still,  if  for  my  sake  this  ship 
be  also  doomed,  I  cannot  but  wish  that  I  had  been  appointed 
to  some  other,  in  which  the  waste  of  human  life  might  have 
been  less. 

P.S.  I 


30 


The  Phantom  Ship 


It  was  not  until  a  week  after  Philip  arrived  on  board  that 
the  Batavia  and  the  remainder  of  the  fleet  were  ready  for 
sea. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  analyse  the  feelings  of  Philip 
Vanderdecken  on  this  his  second  embarkation.  His  mind 
was  so  continually  directed  to  the  object  of  his  voyage, 
that  although  he  attended  to  his  religious  duty,  yet  the 
business  of  life  passed  before  him  as  a  dream.  Assured  of 
again  meeting  with  the  Phantom  Ship,  and  almost  equally 
assured  that  the  meeting  would  be  followed  by  some  un- 
toward event,  in  all  probability  by  the  sacrifice  of  those 
who  sailed  with  him,  his  thoughts  preyed  upon  him,  and 
wore  him  down  to  a  shadow.  He  hardly  ever  spoke, 
except  in  the  execution  of  his  duty.  He  felt  like  a  criminal ; 
as  one  who,  by  embarking  with  them,  had  doomed  all 
around  him  to  death,  disaster,  and  peril ;  and  when  one 
talked  of  his  wife,  and  another  of  his  children — when  they 
would  indulge  in  anticipations,  and  canvass  happy  projects, 
Philip  would  feel  sick  at  heart,  and  would  rise  from  the 
table  and  hasten  to  the  solitude  of  the  deck.  At  one  time 
he  would  try  to  persuade  himself  that  his  senses  had  been 
worked  upon  in  some  moment  of  excitement,  that  he  was  the 
victim  of  an  illusion  ;  at  another  he  would  call  to  mind  all 
the  past — he  would  feel  its  terrible  reality — and  then  the 
thought  would  suggest  itself  that  with  this  supernatural 
vision  Heaven  had  nothing  to  do;  that  it  was  but  the 
work  and  jugglery  of  Satan.  But  then  the  relic — by  such 
means  the  devil  would  not  have  worked.  A  few  days 
after  he  had  sailed,  he  bitterly  repented  that  he  had  not 
stated  the  whole  of  his  circumstances  to  Father  Seysen, 
and  taken  his  advice  upon  the  propriety  of  following  up 
his  search ;  but  it  was  now  too  late  ;  already  was  the  good 
ship  Batavia  more  than  a  thousand  miles  from  the  port  of 
Amsterdam,  and  his  duty,  whatever  it  might  be,  must  be 
fulfilled. 

As  the  fleet  approached  the  Cape,  his  anxiety  increased 
to  such  a  degree  that  it  was  remarked  by  all  who  were  on 
board.     The  captain  and  officers  commanding  the  troops 


The  Phantom  Ship  131 

embarked,  who  all  felt  interested  in  him,  vainly  attempted 
to  learn  the  cause  of  his  anxiety.  Philip  would  plead  ill- 
health  J  and  his  haggard  countenance  and  sunken  eyes 
silently  proved  that  he  was  under  acute  suffering.  The 
major  part  of  the  night  he  passed  on  deck,  straining  his 
eyes  in  every  quarter,  and  watching  each  change  in  the 
horizon,  in  anticipation  of  the  appearance  of  the  Phantom 
Ship ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  day  dawned  that  he  sought  a 
perturbed  repose  in  his  cabin.  After  a  favourable  passage, 
the  fleet  anchored  to  refresh  at  Table  Bay,  and  Philip  felt 
some  small  relief,  that  up  to  the  present  time  the  super- 
natural visitation  had  not  again  occurred. 

As  soon  as  the  fleet  had  watered,  they  again  made  sail, 
and  again  did  Philip's  agitation  become  perceptible.  With 
a  favouring  breeze,  however,  they  rounded  the  Cape, 
passed  by  Madagascar,  and  arrived  in  the  Indian  Seas,  when 
the  Batavia  parted  company  with  the  rest  of  the  fleet, 
which  steered  to  Cambroon  and  Ceylon.  "  And  now," 
thought  Philip,  "  will  the  Phantom  Ship  make  her  appear- 
ance. It  has  only  waited  till  we  should  be  left  without  a 
consort  to  assist  us  in  distress.  But  the  Batavia  sailed  in 
a  smooth  sea  and  under  a  cloudless  sky,  and  nothing  was 
seen.  In  a  few  weeks  she  arrived  off  Java,  and,  previous 
to  entering  the  splendid  roads  of  Batavia,  hove-to  for  the 
night.  This  was  the  last  night  they  would  be  under  sail, 
and  Philip  stirred  not  from  the  deck,  but  walked  to  and  fro, 
anxiously  waiting  for  the  morning.  The  morning  broke — 
the  sun  rose  in  splendour,  and  the  Batavia  steered  into  the 
roads.  Before  noon  she  was  at  anchor,  and  Philip,  with 
his  mind  relieved,  hastened  down  to  his  cabin,  and  took 
that  repose  which  he  so  much  required. 

He  awoke  refreshed,  for  a  great  weight  had  been  taken 
off  his  mind.  *'It  does  not  follow,  then,"  thought  he, 
**  that  because  I  am  on  board  the  vessel  therefore  the  crew 
are  doomed  to  perish  •,  it  does  not  follow  that  the  Phantom 
Ship  is  to  appear  because  I  seek  her.  If  so,  I  have  no 
further  weight  upon  my  conscience.  I  seek  her,  it  is  true, 
and  wish  to  meet  with  her  -,  I  stand,  however,  but  the 


132  The  Phantom  Ship 

same  chance  as  others ;  and  it  is  no  way  certain  that^ 
because  I  seek,  I  am  sure  to  find.  That  she  brings 
disaster  upon  all  she  meets,  may  be  true,  but  not  that  I 
bring  with  me  the  disaster  of  meeting  her.  Heaven  I 
thank  thee !  Now  I  can  prosecute  my  search  without 
remorse." 

Philip,  restored  to  composure  by  these  reflections,  went 
on  deck.  The  debarkation  of  the  troops  was  already 
taking  place,  for  they  were  as  anxious  to  be  relieved  from 
their  long  confinement  as  the  seamen  were  to  regain  a  little 
space  and  comfort.  He  surveyed  the  scene.  The  town 
of  Batavia  lay  about  one  mile  from  them,  low  on  the 
beach ;  from  behind  it  rose  a  lofty  chain  of  mountains, 
brilliant  with  verdure,  and,  here  and  there,  peopled  with 
country  seats,  belonging  to  the  residents,  delightfully  em- 
bosomed in  forests  of  trees.  The  panorama  was  beautiful  5. 
the  vegetation  was  luxuriant,  and,  from  its  vivid  green, 
refreshing  to  the  eye.  Near  to  the  town  lay  large  and 
small  vessels,  a  forest  of  masts ;  the  water  in  the  bay  was 
of  a  bright  blue,  and  rippled  to  a  soft  breeze  ;  here  and 
there  small  islets  (like  tufts  of  fresh  verdure)  broke  the 
uniformity  of  the  water-line ;  even  the  town  itself  was 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  the  white  colour  of  the  houses  being 
opposed  to  the  dark  foliage  of  the  trees,  which  grew  in 
the  gardens,  and  lined  the  streets. 

"  Can  it  be  possible,"  observed  Philip  to  the  captain  of 
the  Batavia,  who  stood  by  him,  "  that  this  beautiful  spot 
can  be  so  unhealthy  ?  I  should  form  a  very  different 
opinion  from  its  appearance." 

"  Even,"  replied  the  captain,  "as  the  venomous  snakes 
of  the  country  start  up  from  among  its  flowers,  so  does 
death  stalk  about  in  this  beautiful  and  luxuriant  landscape. 
Do  you  feel  better.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  ? " 

"  Much  better,"  replied  Philip. 

*' Still,  in  your  enfeebled  state,  I  should  recommend 
you  to  go  on  shore." 

"I  shall  avail  myself  of  your  permission,  with  thanks. 
How  long  shall  we  stay  here  ? " 


The  Phantom  Ship  133 

"  Not  long,  as  we  are  ordered  to  run  back.  Our  cargo 
is  all  ready  for  us,  and  will  be  on  board  soon  after  we  have 
discharged." 

Philip  took  the  advice  of  his  captain ;  he  had  no  difficulty 
in  finding  himself  received  by  a  hospitable  merchant,  who 
had  a  house  at  some  distance  from  the  town,  and  in  a 
healthy  situation.  There  he  remained  two  months,  during 
which  he  re-established  his  health,  and  then  re-embarked 
a  few  days  previous  to  the  ship  being  ready  for  sea.  The 
return  voyage  was  fortunate,  and  in  four  months  from  the 
date  of  their  quitting  Batavia,  they  found  themselves 
abreast  of  St  Helena  ;  for  vessels,  at  that  period,  generally 
made  what  is  called  the  eastern  passage,  running  down 
the  coast  of  Africa,  instead  of  keeping  towards  the 
American  shores.  Again  they  had  passed  the  Cape  with- 
out meeting  with  the  Phantom  Ship  ;  and  Philip  was  not 
only  in  excellent  health,  but  in  good  spirits.  As  they  lay 
becalmed,  with  the  island  in  sight,  they  observed  a  boat 
pulling  towards  them,  and  in  the  course  of  three  hours  she 
arrived  on  board.  The  crew  were  much  exhausted  from 
having  been  two  days  in  the  boat,  during  which  time  they 
had  never  ceased  pulling  to  gain  the  island.  They  stated 
themselves  to  be  the  crew  of  a  small  Dutch  Indiaman, 
which  had  foundered  at  sea  two  days  before;  she  had 
started  one  of  her  planks,  and  filled  so  rapidly  that  the 
men  had  hardly  time  to  save  themselves.  They  consisted 
of  the  captain,  mates,  and  twenty  men  belonging  to  the 
ship,  and  an  old  Portuguese  Catholic  priest,  who  had  been 
sent  home  by  the  Dutch  governor,  for  having  opposed  the 
Dutch  interests  in  the  Island  of  Japan.  He  had  lived  with 
the  natives,  and  been  secreted  by  them  for  some  time,  as 
the  Japanese  government  "was  equally  desirous  of  capturing 
him,  with  the  intention  of  taking  away  his  life.  Eventually 
he  found  himself  obliged  to  throw  himself  into  the  arms  of 
the  Dutch,  as  being  the  less  cruel  of  his  enemies. 

The  Dutch  government  decided  that  he  should  be  sent 
away  from  the  country  -,  and  he  had,  in  consequence, 
been  put  on  board  of  the  Indiaman  for  a  passage  home. 


134  The  Phantom  Ship 

By  the  report  of  the  captain  and  crew,  one  person  only- 
had  been  lost;  but  he  was  a  person  of  consequence, 
having  for  many  years  held  the  situation  of  president  in 
the  Dutch  factory  at  Japan.  He  was  returning  to  Holland 
with  the  riches  which  he  had  amassed.  By  the  evidence 
of  the  captain  and  crew,  he  had  insisted,  after  he  was 
put  into  the  boat,  upon  going  back  to  the  ship  to  secure 
a  casket  of  immense  value,  containing  diamonds  and  other 
precious  stones,  which  he  had  forgotten;  they  added, 
that  while  they  were  waiting  for  him  the  ship  suddenly 
plunged  her  bow-sprit  under,  and  went  down  head  fore- 
most, and  that  it  was  with  difficulty  they  had  themselves 
escaped.  They  had  waited  for  some  time  to  ascertain 
if  he  would  rise  again  to  the  surface,  but  he  appeared  no 
more. 

"  I  knew  that  something  would  happen,"  observed  the 
captain  of  the  sunken  vessel,  after  he  had  been  sitting  a 
short  time  in  the  cabin  with  Philip  and  the  captain  of  the 
Batavia  ;  "  we  saw  the  Fiend  or  Devil's  Ship,  as  they  call 
her,  but  three  days  before." 

"  What !  the  Flying  Dutchman,  as  they  name  her  ? " 
asked  Philip. 

"Yes;  that,  I  believe,  is  the  name  they  give  her," 
replied  the  captain.  "  I  have  often  heard  of  her  ;  but  it 
never  was  my  fate  to  fall  in  with  her  before,  and  I  hope 
it  never  will  be  again  ;  for  I  am  a  ruined  man,  and  must 
begin  the  world  afresh." 

"  I  have  heard  of  that  vessel,"  observed  the  captain  of 
the  Batavia.     **  Pray,  how  did  she  appear  to  you  ?  " 

**  Why,  the  fact  is,  I  did  not  see  anything  but  the  loom 
of  her  hull,"  replied  the  other.  **  It  was  very  strange ; 
the  night  was  fine,  and  the  heavens  clear ;  we  were  under 
top-gallant  sails,  for  I  do  not  carry  on  during  the  night, 
or  else  we  might  have  put  the  royals  on  her ;  she  would 
have  carried  them  with  the  breeze.  I  had  turned  in,  when 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  mate  called  me  to 
come  on  deck.  I  demanded  what  was  the  matter,  and  he 
replied  he  could  hardly  tell,  but  that  the  men  were  much 


The  Phantom  Ship  135 

frightened,  and  that  there  was  a  Ghost  Ship,  as  the  sailors 
termed  it,  in  sight.  I  went  on  deck ;  all  the  horizon 
was  clear,  but  on  our  quarter  was  a  sort  of  fog,  round 
as  a  ball,  and  not  more  than  two  cables'  length  from  us. 
We  were  going  about  four  knots  and  a  half  free,  and  yet 
we  could  not  escape  from  this  mist.  *  Look  there,'  said 
the  mate.  *  Why,  what  the  devil  can  it  be  ? '  said  I, 
rubbing  my  eyes.  *No  banks  up  to  windward,  and  yet 
a  fog  in  the  middle  of  a  clear  sky,  with  a  fresh  breeze, 
and  with  water  all  around  it ; '  for  you  see  the  fog  did 
not  cover  more  than  a  dozen  cables'  length,  as  we  could 
perceive  by  the  horizon  on  each  side  of  it.  *  Hark,  sir  ! ' 
said  the  mate — *  they  are  speaking  again.'  *  Speaking  ! ' 
said  I,  and  I  listened;  and  from  out  this  ball  of  fog  I 
heard  voices.  At  last,  one  cried  out,  *  Keep  a  sharp  look- 
out forward,  d'ye  hear  ? '  *  Ay,  ay,  sir ! '  replied  another 
voice.  *  Ship  on  the  starboard  bow,  sir.'  *  Very  well ; 
strike  the  bell  there  forward.'  And  then  we  heard  the 
bell  toll.  *  It  must  be  a  vessel,'  said  I  to  the  mate.  *  Not 
of  this  world,  sir,'  replied  he.  *  Hark  ! '  *  A  gun  ready 
forward.'  *  Ay,  ay,  sir  ! '  was  now  heard  out  of  the  fog, 
which  appeared  to  near  us ;  *  all  ready,  sir.'  *  Fire  ! ' 
The  report  of  the  gun  sounded  on  our  ears  like  thunder, 
and  then " 

"  Well,  and  then  ? "  said  the  captain  of  the  Batavia, 
breathless. 

"  And  then,"  replied  the  other  captain,  solemnly,  "  the 
fog  and  all  disappeared  as  if  by  magic,  the  whole  horizon 
was  clear,  and  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen." 

"  Is  it  possible  ? " 

"  There  are  twenty  men  on  deck  to  tell  the  story," 
replied  the  captain.  "  And  the  old  Catholic  priest  to 
boot,  for  he  stood  by  me  the  whole  time  I  was  on  deck. 
The  men  said  that  some  accident  would  happen;  and  in 
the  morning  watch,  on  sounding  the  well,  we  found  four 
feet  water.  We  took  to  the  pumps,  but  it  gained  upon  us, 
and  we  went  down,  as  I  have  told  you.  The  mate  says 
that  the  vessel  is  well  known — it  is  called  the  Flying 
JDutchmanP 


136  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  made  no  remarks  at  the  time,  but  he  was  much 
pleased  at  what  he  had  heard.  **  If,"  thought  he,  **  the 
Phantom  Ship  of  my  poor  father  appears  to  others  as  well 
as  to  me,  and  they  are  sufferers,  my  being  on  board  can 
make  no  difference.  I  do  but  take  my  chance  of  falling  in 
with  her,  and  do  not  risk  the  lives  of  those  who  sail  in  the 
same  vessel  with  me.  Now  my  mind  is  relieved,  and  I  can 
prosecute  my  search  with  a  quiet  conscience." 

The  next  day  Philip  took  an  opportunity  of  making  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Catholic  priest,  who  spoke  Dutch  and 
other  languages  as  well  as  he  did  Portuguese.  He  was  a 
venerable  old  man,  apparently  about  sixty  years  of  age, 
with  a  white  flowing  beard,  mild  in  his  demeanour,  and 
very  pleasing  in  his  conversation. 

When  Philip  kept  his  watch  that  night,  the  old  man 
walked  with  him,  and  it  was  then,  after  a  long  conver- 
sation, that  Philip  confided  to  him  that  he  was  of  the 
Catholic  persuasion. 

**  Indeed,  my  son,  that  is  unusual  in  a  Hollander." 

**  It  is  so,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  nor  is  it  known  on  board — 
not  that  I  am  ashamed  of  my  religion,  but  I  wish  to  avoid 
discussion." 

"  You  are  prudent,  my  son.  Alas !  if  the  reformed 
religion  produces  no  better  fruit  than  what  I  have  wit- 
nessed in  the  East,  it  is  little  better  than  idolatry." 

**  Tell  me,  father,"  said  Philip — "  they  talk  of  a  miracu- 
lous vision — of  a  ship  not  manned  by  mortal  men.  Did 
you  see  it  ? " 

"I  saw  what  others  saw,"  replied  the  priest;  "and 
certainly,  as  far  as  my  senses  would  enable  me  to  judge, 
the  appearance  was  most  unusual — I  may  say  supernatural ; 
but  I  had  heard  of  this  Phantom  Ship  before,  and  moreover 
that  its  appearance  was  the  precursor  of  disaster.  So  did 
it  prove  in  our  case,  although,  indeed,  we  had  one  on 
board,  now  no  more,  whose  weight  of  guilt  was  more  than 
sufficient  to  sink  any  vessel;  one,  the  swallowing  up  of 
whom,  with  all  that  wealth  from  which  he  anticipated 
such  enjoyment  in  his  own  country,  has  manifested  that 


The  Phantom  Ship  137 

the  Almighty  will,  even  in  this  world,  sometimes  wreak 
just  and  awful  retribution  on  those  who  have  merited  His 
vengeance." 

"  You  refer  to  the  Dutch  President  who  went  down 
with  the  ship  when  it  sank." 

"I  do ;  but  the  tale  of  that  man's  crime  is  long ;  to- 
morrow night  I  will  walk  with  you,  and  narrate  the  whole. 
Peace  be  with  you,  my  son,  and  good-night." 

The  weather  continued  fine,  and  the  Batavia  hove-to  in 
the  evening  with  the  intention  of  anchoring  the  next 
morning  in  the  roadstead  of  St  Helena.  Philip,  when  he 
went  on  deck  to  keep  the  middle  watch,  found  the  old 
priest  at  the  gangway  waiting  for  him.  In  the  ship  all 
was  quiet;  the  men  slumbered  between  the  guns,  and 
Philip,  with  his  new  acquaintance,  went  aft,  and  seating 
themselves  on  a  hencoop,  the  priest  commenced  as  follows: — 

**  You  are  not,  perhaps,  aware  that  the  Portuguese, 
although  anxious  to  secure  for  themselves  a  country 
discovered  by  their  enterprise  and  courage,  and  the 
possession  of  which,  I  fear,  has  cost  them  many  crimes, 
have  still  never  lost  sight  of  one  point  dear  to  all  good 
Catholics — that  of  spreading  wide  the  true  faith,  and 
planting  the  banner  of  Christ  in  the  regions  of  idolatry. 
Some  of  our  countrymen  having  been  wrecked  on  the 
coast,  we  were  made  acquainted  with  the  islands  of  Japan  \ 
and  seven  years  afterwards,  our  holy  and  blessed  St 
Francis,  now  with  God,  landed  on  the  Island  of  Ximo, 
where  he  remained  for  two  years  and  five  months,  during 
which  he  preached  our  religion  and  made  many  converts. 
He  afterwards  embarked  for  China,  his  original  destination, 
but  was  not  permitted  to  arrive  there;  he  died  on  his 
passage,  and  thus  closed  his  pure  and  holy  life.  After  his 
death,  notwithstanding  the  many  obstacles  thrown  in  our 
way  by  the  priests  of  idolatry,  and  the  persecutions  with 
which  they  occasionally  visited  the  members  of  our  faith, 
the  converts  to  our  holy  religion  increased  greatly  in  the 
Japanese  islands.  The  religion  spread  fast,  and  many 
thousands  worshipped  the  true  God. 


138  The  Phantom  Ship 

<*  After  a  time,  the  Dutch  formed  a  settlement  at  Japan, 
and  when  they  found  that  the  Japanese  Christians  around 
the  factories  would  deal  only  with  the  Portuguese,  in 
whom  they  had  confidence,  they  became  our  enemies ;  and 
the  man  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  and  who  at  that  period 
was  the  head  of  the  Dutch  Factory,  determined,  in  his  lust 
for  gold,  to  make  the  Christian  religion  a  source  of  suspicion 
to  the  emperor  of  the  country,  and  thus  to  ruin  the  Portu- 
guese and  their  adherents.  Such,  my  son,  was  the  conduct 
of  one  who  professed  to  have  embraced  the  reformed 
religion  as  being  of  greater  purity  than  our  own. 

"  There  was  a.  Japanese  lord  of  great  wealth  and 
influence  who  lived  near  us,  and  who,  with  two  of  his 
sons,  had  embraced  Christianity,  and  had  been  baptised. 
He  had  two  other  sons,  who  lived  at  the  emperor's  court. 
This  lord  had  made  us  a  present  of  a  house  for  a  college 
and  school  of  instruction  :  on  his  death,  however,  his  two 
sons  at  court,  who  were  idolaters,  insisted  upon  our 
quitting  this  property.  We  refused,  and  thus  afforded 
the  Dutch  princij^al  an  opportunity  of  inflaming  these 
young  noblemen  against  us :  by  this  means  he  persuaded 
the  Japanese  emperor  that  the  Portuguese  and  Christians 
had  formed  a  conspiracy  against  his  life  and  throne ;  for, 
be  it  observed,  that  when  a  Dutchman  was  asked  if 
he  was  a  Christian,  he  would  reply,  *  No ;  I  am  a 
Hollander.' 

"  The  emperor,  believing  in  this  conspiracy,  gave  an 
immediate  order  for  the  extirpation  of  the  Portuguese,  and 
then  of  all  the  Japanese  who  had  embraced  the  Christian 
faith.  He  raised  an  army  for  this  purpose,  and  gave  the 
command  of  it  to  the  young  noblemen  I  have  mentioned, 
the  sons  of  the  lord  who  had  given  us  the  college.  The 
Christians,  aware  that  resistance  was  their  only  chance, 
flew  to  arms,  and  chose  as  their  generals  the  other  two 
sons  of  the  Japanese  lord,  who,  with  their  father,  had 
embraced  Christianity.  Thus  were  the  two  armies 
commanded  by  four  brothers,  two  on  the  one  side  and  two 
on  the  other. 


The  Phantom  Ship  139 

**The  Christian  army  amounted  to  more  than  40,000 
men,  but  of  this  the  emperor  was  not  aware,  and  he  sent 
a  force  of  about  25,000  to  conquer  and  exterminate  them. 
The  armies  met,  and  after  an  obstinate  combat  (for  the 
Japanese  are  very  brave)  the  victory  was  on  the  part  of 
the  Christians,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  who 
saved  themselves  in  the  boats,  the  army  of  the  emperor 
was  cut  to  pieces. 

*'  This  victory  was  the  occasion  of  making  more  converts, 
and  our  army  was  soon  increased  to  upwards  of  50,000 
men.  On  the  other  hand,  the  emperor,  perceiving  that 
his  troops  had  been  destroyed,  ordered  new  levies  and 
raised  a  force  of  150,000  men,  giving  directions  to  his 
generals  to  give  no  quarter  to  the  Christians,  with  the 
exception  of  the  two  young  lords  who  commanded  them, 
whom  he  wished  to  secure  alive,  that  he  might  put  them 
to  death  by  slow  torture.  All  offers  of  accommodation 
were  refused,  and  the  emperor  took  the  field  in  person. 
The  armies  again  met,  and  on  the  first  day's  battle  the 
victory  was  on  the  part  of  the  Christians  ;  still  they  had 
to  lament  the  loss  of  one  of  their  generals,  who  was 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  and,  no  quarter  having  been 
given,  their  loss  was  severe. 

"  The  second  day's  combat  was  fatal  to  the  Christians. 
Their  general  was  killed ;  they  were  overpowered  by 
numbers,  and  fell  to  a  man.  The  emperor  then  attacked 
the  camp  in  the  rear,  and  put  to  the  sword  every  old  man, 
woman,  and  child.  On  the  field  of  battle,  in  the  camp, 
and  by  subsequent  torture,  more  than  60,000  Christians 
perished.  But  this  was  not  all ;  a  rigorous  search  for 
Christians  was  made  throughout  the  islands  for  many 
years ;  and  they  were,  when  found,  put  to  death  by  the 
most  cruel  torture.  It  was  not  until  fifteen  years  ago 
that  Christianity  was  entirely  rooted  out  of  the  Japanese 
empire,  and  during  a  persecution  of  somewhat  more  than 
sixteen  years,  it  is  supposed  that  upwards  of  400,000 
Christians  were  destroyed  ;  and  all  this  slaughter,  my  son, 
was  occasioned  by  the  falsehood  and  avarice  of  that  man 


140 


The  Phantom  Ship 


who  met  his  just  punishment  but  a  few  days  ago.  The 
Dutch  company,  pleased  with  his  conduct,  which  procured 
for  them  such  advantages,  continued  him  for  many  years 
as  the  president  of  their  factory  at  Japan.  He  was  a 
young  man  when  he  first  went  there,  but  his  hair  was 
grey  when  he  thought  of  returning  to  his  own  country. 
He  had  amassed  immense  wealth, — immense,  indeed,  must 
it  have  been  to  have  satisfied  avarice  such  as  his  !  All  has 
now  perished  with  him,  and  he  has  been  summoned  to  his 
account.  Reflect  a  little,  my  son.  Is  it  not  better  to 
follow  up  our  path  of  duty,  to  eschew  the  riches  and 
pleasures  of  this  world,  and,  at  our  summons  hence,  to  feel 
that  we  have  hopes  of  bliss  hereafter  ?  " 

"  Most  true,  holy  father,"  replied  Philip,  musing. 

"I  have  but  a  few  years  to  live,"  continued  the  old 
man,  "and  God  knows  I  shall  quit  this  world  without 
reluctance." 

**  And  so  could  I,"  replied  Philip. 

"  Touy  my  son ! — no.  You  are  young,  and  should  be 
full  of  hopes.  You  have  still  to  do  your  duty  in  that 
station  to  which  it  shall  please  God  to  call  you." 

"  I  know  that  I  have  a  duty  to  perform,"  replied  Philip. 
"  Father,  the  night  air  is  too  keen  for  one  so  aged  as  you. 
Retire  to  your  bed,  and  leave  me  to  my  watch  and  my 
own  thoughts." 

"  I  will,  my  son !  may  Heaven  guard  you  !  Take  an 
old  man's  blessing.     Good-night." 

**  Good-night,"  replied  Philip,  glad  to  be  alone.  "  Shall 
I  confess  all  to  him  ? "  thought  Philip.  **  I  feel  I  could 
confess  to  him. — But  no.  I  would  not  to  Father  Seysen, — 
why  to  him  ?     I  should  put  myself  in  his  power,  and  he 

might  order  me -No,  no !    my  secret  is  my  own.     I 

need  no  advisers."  And  Philip  pulled  out  the  relic  from 
his  bosom,  and  put  it  reverently  to  his  lips. 

The  Batavia  waited  a  few  days  at  St  Helena,  and  then 
continued  her  voyage.  In  six  weeks  Philip  again  found 
himself  at  anchor  in  the  Zuyder  Zee,  and  having  the 
captain's  permission,  he  immediately  set  off  for  his  own 


The  Phantom  Ship  141 

home,  taking  with  him  the  old  Portuguese  priest  Mathias, 
with  whom  he  had  formed  a  great  intimacy,  and  to  whom 
he  had  offered  his  protection  for  the  time  he  might  wish 
to  remain  in  the  Low  Countries. 


Chapter  XIII 

**  Far  be  it  from  me  to  wish  to  annoy  you,  my  son,"  said 
Father  Mathias,  as  with  difficulty  he  kept  pace  with  the 
rapid  strides  of  Philip,  who  was  now  within  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  of  his  home;  "but  still  recollect  that  this  is  but 
a  transitory  world,  and  that  much  time  has  elapsed  since 
you  quitted  this  spot.  For  that  reason  I  would  fain  desire 
you,  if  possible,  to  check  these  bounding  aspirations  after 
happiness,  these  joyful  anticipations  in  which  you  have 
indulged  since  we  quitted  the  vessel.  I  hope  and  trust 
in  the  mercy  of  God,  that  all  will  be  right,  and  that  in 
a  few  minutes  you  will  be  in  the  arms  of  your  much-loved 
wife :  but  still,  in  proportion  as  you  allow  your  hopes  to 
be  raised,  so  will  you  inevitably  have  them  crushed  should 
disappointment  cross  your  path.  At  Flushing  we  were 
told  that  there  has  been  a  dreadful  visitation  in  this  land, 
and  death  may  not  have  spared  even  one  so  young  and 
fair." 

"  Let  us  haste  on,  father,"  replied  Philip.  "  What 
you  say  is  true,  and  suspense  becomes  most  dreadful." 

Philip  increased  his  speed,  leaving  the  old  man  to  follow 
him :  he  arrived  at  the  bridge  with  its  wooden  gate.  It 
was  then  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  for  they 
had  crossed  the  Scheldt  at  the  dawn  of  day. 

Philip  observed  that  the  lower  shutters  were  still  closed. 

"  They  might  have  been  up  and  stirring  before  this," 
thought  he,  as  he  put  his  hand  to  the  latch  of  the  door. 
It  was  not  fastened.  Philip  entered!  there  was  a  light 
burning  in  the  kitchen;  he  pushed  open  the  door,  and 
beheld   a   maid-servant   leaning   back   in   her   chair   in  a 


142 


The  Phantom  Ship 


profound  sleep.  Before  he  had  time  to  go  in  and  awaken 
her,  he  heard  a  voice  at  the  top  of  the  stairs,  saying, 
**  Marie,  is  that  the  doctor  ?" 

PhiUp  waited  no  longer;  in  three  bounds  he  was  on 
the  landing-place  above,  and  brushing  by  the  person  who 
had  spoken,  he  opened  the  door  of  Amine's  room. 

A  floating  wick  in  a  tumbler  of  oil  gave  but  a  faint 
and  glimmering  light ;  the  curtains  of  the  bed  were 
drawn,  and  by  the  side  of  it  was  kneeling  a  figure  that 
was  well  known  to  Philip— that  of  Father  Seysen.  Philip 
recoiled;  the  blood  retreated  to  his  heart;  he  could  not 
speak :  panting  for  breath,  he  supported  himself  against 
the  wall,  and  at  last  vented  his  agony  of  feeling  by  a  deep 
groan,  which  aroused  the  priest,  who  turned  his  head, 
and  perceiving  who  it  was,  rose  from  his  knees,  and 
extended  his  hand  in  silence. 

"  She  is  dead,  then  !  "  at  last  exclaimed  Philip. 

"  No,  my  son,  not  dead  ;  there  is  yet  hope.  The  crisis 
is  at  hand ;  in  one  more  hour  her  fate  will  be  decided : 
then  either  will  she  be  restored  to  your  arms,  or  follow 
the  many  hundreds  whom  this  fatal  epidemic  has  consigned 
to  the  tomb." 

Father  Seysen  then  led  Philip  to  the  side  of  the  bed, 
and  withdrew  the  curtain.  Amine  lay  insensible,  but 
breathing  heavily;  her  eyes  were  closed.  Philip  seized 
her  burning  hand,  knelt  down,  pressed  it  to  his  lips, 
and  burst  into  a  paroxysm  of  tears.  As  soon  as  he  had 
become  somewhat  composed.  Father  Seysen  persuaded 
him  to  rise  and  sit  with  him  by  the  side  of  the  bed. 

"  This  is  a  melancholy  sight  to  witness  at  your  return, 
Philip,"  said  he ;  "  and  to  you  who  are  so  ardent,  so  im- 
petuous, it  must  be  doubly  so ;  but  God's  will  be  done. 
Remember  there  is  yet  hope — not  strong  hope,  I  grant, 
but  still  there  is  hope,  foi  so  told  me  the  medical  man 
who  has  attended  her,  and  who  will  return,  I  expect,  in 
a  few  minutes.  Her  disease  is  a  typhus  fever,  which 
has  swept  off  whole  families  within  these  last  two  months, 
and  still  rages  violently ;  fortunate,  indeed,  is  the  house 


The  Phantom  Ship  143 

which  has  to  mourn  but  one  victim.  I  would  that  you 
had  not  arrived  just  now,  for  it  is  a  disease  easily  com- 
municated. Many  have  fled  from  the  country  for  security. 
To  add  to  our  misfortunes,  we  have  suffered  from  the 
want  of  medical  advice,  for  physician  and  patient  have 
been  swept  away  together." 

The  door  was  now  slowly  opened,  and  a  tall,  dark  man, 
in  a  brown  cloak,  holding  to  his  nose  a  sponge  saturated 
with  vinegar,  entered  the  room.  He  bowed  his  head  to 
Philip  and  the  priest,  and  then  went  to  the  bedside.  For 
a  minute  he  held  his  fingers  to  the  pulse  of  the  sufferer, 
then  laying  down  her  arm,  he  put  his  hand  to  her  fore- 
head, and  covered  her  up  with  the  bedclothes.  He 
handed  to  Philip  the  sponge  and  vinegar,  making  a  sign 
that  he  should  use  it,  and  beckoned  Father  Seysen  out 
of  the  room. 

In  a  minute  the  priest  returned.  "  I  have  received  his 
directions,  my  son ;  he  thinks  that  she  may  be  saved. 
The  clothes  must  be  kept  on  her,  and  replaced  if 
she  should  throw  them  off;  but  everything  will 
depend  upon  quiet  and  calm  after  she  recovers  her 
senses." 

"  Surely  we  can  promise  her  that,"  replied  Philip. 

"It  is  not  the  knowledge  of  your  return,  or  even  the 
sight  of  you,  which  alarms  me.  Joy  seldom  kills,  even 
when  the  shock  is  great,  but  there  are  other  causes  for 
uneasiness." 

"  What  are  they,  holy  father  ? " 

"  Philip,  it  is  now  thirteen  days  that  Amine  has  raved, 
and  during  that  period  I  have  seldom  quitted  her  but  to 
perform  the  duties  of  my  office  to  others  who  required 
it.  I  have  been  afraid  to  leave  her,  Philip,  for  in  her 
ravings  she  has  told  such  a  tale,  even  unconnected  as  it 
has  been,  as  has  thrilled  my  soul  with  horror.  It  evidently 
has  long  lain  heavily  on  her  mind,  and  must  retard  her 
recovery.  Philip  Vanderdecken,  you  may  remember  that 
I  would  once  have  had  the  secret  from  you — the  secret 
which  forced  your  mother  to  her  tomb,  and  which  now 


144  ^^^  Phantom  Ship 

may  send  your  young  wife  to  follow  her,  for  it  is  evident 
that  she  knows  all.     Is  it  not  true  ? " 

"  She  does  know  all,"  replied  Philip,  mournfully. 

**  And  she  has  in  her  delirium  told  all.  Nay,  I  trust 
she  has  told  more  than  all  j  but  of  that  we  will  not 
speak  now :  watch  her,  Philip.  I  will  return  in  half  an 
hour,  for  by  that  time,  the  doctor  tells  me,  the  symptoms 
will  decide  whether  she  will  return  to  reason,  or  be  lost 
to  you  for  ever." 

Philip  whispered  to  the  priest  that  he  had  been  accom- 
panied by  Father  Mathias,  who  was  to  remain  as  his 
guest,  and  requested  him  to  explain  the  circumstances 
of  his  present  position  to  him,  and  see  that  he  was  at- 
tended to.  Father  Seysen  then  quitted  the  room,  when 
Philip  sat  down  by  the  bedside,  and  drew  back  the 
curtain. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  situation  in  life  so  agonising  to  the 
feelings  as  that  in  which  Philip  was  now  placed.  His 
joyful  emotions  when  expecting  to  embrace  in  health 
and  beauty  the  object  of  his  warmest  affections,  and  of 
his  continual  thought  during  his  long  absence,  suddenly 
checked  by  disappointment,  anxiety,  and  grief,  at  finding 
her  lying  emaciated,  changed,  corrupted  with  disease — her 
mind  overthrown — her  eyes  unconscious  of  his  presence 
— her  existence  hanging  by  a  single  hair — her  frame 
prostrate  before  the  King  of  Terrors  who  hovers  over 
her  with  uplifted  dart,  and  longs  for  the  fiat  which 
should  permit  him  to  pierce  his  unconscious  victim. 

"  Alas  !  "  thought  Philip,  **  is  it  thus  we  meet.  Amine  ? 
Truly  did  Father  Mathias  advise  me,  as  I  hurried  so 
impetuously  along,  not  (as  I  fondly  thought)  to  happiness, 
but  to  misery.  God  of  Heaven  !  be  merciful  and  forgive 
me.  If  I  have  loved  this  angelic  creature  of  Thy  forma- 
tion, even  more  than  I  have  Thee — spare  her — good 
Heaven,  spare  her — or  I  am  lost  for  ever." 

Philip  covered  up  his  face,  and  remained  for  some  time 
in  prayer.  He  then  bent  over  his  Amine,  and  impressed 
a  luss  upon  her  burning  lips.     They  were  burning,  but 


The  Phantom  Ship  145 

still  tl-ere  was  moisture  upon  them,  and  Philip  perceived 
that  there  was  also  moisture  on  her  forehead.  He  felt  her 
hand,  and  the  palm  of  it  was  moist ;  and  carefully  cover- 
ing her  with  the  bedclothes,  he  watched  her  with  anxiety 
and  hope. 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he  had  the  delight  of  perceiving 
that  Amine  was  in  a  profuse  perspiration ;  gradually  her 
breathing  became  less  heavy,  and  instead  of  the  passive 
state  in  which  she  had  remained,  she  moved,  and  became 
restless.  Philip  watched,  and  replaced  the  clothes  as  she 
threw  them  off,  until  she  at  last  appeared  to  have  fallen 
into  a  profound  and  sweet  sleep.  Shortly  after,  Father 
Seysen  and  the  physician  made  their  appearance.  Philip 
stated,  in  few  words,  what  had  occurred.  The  doctor 
went  to  the  bedside,  and  in  half  a  minute  returned. 

"  Your  wife  is  spared  to  you.  Mynheer,  but  it  is  not 
advisable  that  she  should  see  you  so  unexpectedly;  the 
shock  may  be  too  great  in  her  weak  state ;  she  must  be 
allowed  to  sleep  as  long  as  possible ;  on  her  awaking  she 
will  have  returned  to  reason.  You  must  leave  her  then  to 
Father  Seysen." 

"  May  I  not  remain  in  the  room  until  she  wakes  ?  I 
will  then  hasten  away  unobserved." 

"That  will  be  useless;  the  disease  is  contagious,  and 
you  have  been  here  too  long  already.  Remain  below ;  you 
must  change  your  clothes,  and  see  that  they  prepare  a  bed 
for  her  in  another  room,  to  which  she  must  be  transported 
as  soon  as  you  think  she  can  bear  it ;  and  then  let  these 
windows  be  thrown  open,  that  the  room  may  be  properly 
ventilated.  It  will  not  do  to  have  a  wife  just  rescued  from 
the  jaws  of  death  run  the  risk  of  falling  a  sacrifice  to  the 
attentions  necessary  to  a  sick  husband." 

Philip  perceived  the  prudence  of  this  advice,  and  quitting 
the  room  with  the  medical  man,  he  went  and  changed  his 
clothes,  and  then  joined  Father  Mathias,  whom  he  found 
in  the  parlour  below. 

"  You  were  right,  father,"  said  Philip,  throwing  himself 
on  the  sofa. 

p.s.  K 


146  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  I  am  old  and  suspicious,  you  are  young  and  buoyant, 
Philip ;  but  I  trust  all  may  yet  be  well." 

**  I  trust  so  too,"  replied  Philip.  He  then  remained 
silent  and  absorbed  in  thought,  for  now  that  the  imminent 
danger  was  over,  he  was  reflecting  upon  what  Father 
Seysen  had  communicated  to  him  relative  to  Amine's  having 
revealed  the  secret  whilst  in  a  state  of  mental  aberration. 
The  priest  perceiving  that  his  mind  was  occupied,  did  not 
interrupt  him.  An  hour  had  thus  passed,  when  Father 
Seysen  entered  the  room. 

**  Return  thanks  to  Heaven,  my  son.  Amine  has 
awakened,  and  is  perfectly  sensible  and  collected.  There 
is  now  little  doubt  of  her  recovery.  She  has  taken  the 
restorative  ordered  by  the  doctor,  though  she  was  so 
anxious  to  repose  once  more,  that  she  could  hardly  be 
persuaded  to  swallow  it.  She  is  now  again  fast  asleep, 
and  watched  by  one  of  the  maidens,  and  in  all  probability 
will  not  move  for  many  hours ;  but  every  moment  of  such 
sleep  is  precious,  and  she  must  not  be  disturbed.  I  will 
now  see  to  some  refreshment,  which  must  be  needful  to  us 
all.  Philip,  you  have  not  introduced  me  to  your  companion, 
who,  I  perceive,  is  of  my  own  calling." 

"  Forgive  me,  sir,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  you  will  have  great 
pleasure  in  making  acquaintance  with  Father  Mathias,  who 
has  promised  to  reside  with  me,  I  trust,  for  some  time.  I 
will  leave  you  together,  and  see  to  the  breakfast  being 
prepared,  for  the  delay  of  which  I  trust  Father  Mathias 
will  accept  my  apology." 

Philip  then  left  the  room,  and  went  into  the  kitchen. 
Having  ordered  what  was  requisite,  to  be  taken  into  the 
parlour,  he  put  on  his  hat  and  walked  out  of  the  house. 
He  could  not  eat ;  his  mind  was  in  a  state  of  confusion ; 
the  events  of  the  morning  had  been  too  harassing  and 
exciting,  and  he  felt  as  if  the  fresh  air  was  necessary  to  his 
existence. 

As  he  proceeded,  careless  in  which  direction,  he  met 
many  with  whom  he  had  been  acquainted,  and  from  whom 
he  had  received  condolence  at  his  supposed  bereavement, 


The  Phantom  Ship  147 

and  congratulations  when  they  learnt  from  him  that  the 
danger  was  over  ;  and  from  them  he  also  learnt  how  fatal 
had  been  the  pestilence. 

Not  one-third  of  the  inhabitants  of  Terneuse  and  the 
surrounding  country  remained  alive,  and  those  who  had 
recovered  were  in  a  state  of  exhaustion  which  prevented 
them  from  returning  to  their  accustomed  occupations. 
They  had  combated  disease,  but  remained  the  prey  of 
misery  and  want ;  and  Philip  mentally  vowed  that  he  would 
appropriate  all  his  savings  to  the  relief  of  those  around 
him.  It  was  not  until  more  than  two  hours  had  passed 
away  that  Philip  returned  to  the  cottage. 

On  his  arrival  he  found  that  Amine  still  slumbered,  and 
the  two  priests  were  in  conversation  below. 

"  My  son,"  said  Father  Seysen,  "  let  us  now  have  a  little 
explanation.  I  have  had  a  long  conference  with  this  good 
Father,  who  hath  much  interested  me  with  his  account  of 
the  extension  of  our  holy  religion  among  the  Pagans.  He 
hath  communicated  to  me  much  to  rejoice  at  and  much  to 
grieve  for ;  but,  among  other  questions  put  to  him,  I  have 
(in  consequence  of  what  I  have  learnt  during  the  mental 
alienation  of  your  wife)  interrogated  him  upon  the  point  of 
a  supernatural  appearance  of  a  vessel  in  the  eastern  seas. 
You  observe,  Philip,  that  your  secret  is  known  to  me,  or  I 
could  not  have  put  that  question.  To  my  surprise,  he  hath 
stated  a  visitation  of  the  kind  to  which  he  was  eye-witness, 
and  which  cannot  reasonably  be  accounted  for,  except  by 
supernatural  interposition.  A  strange  and  certainly  most 
awful  visitation !  Philip,  would  it  not  be  better  (instead 
of  leaving  me  in  a  maze  of  doubt)  that  you  now  confided 
to  us  both  all  the  facts  connected  with  this  strange  history, 
so  that  we  may  ponder  on  them,  and  give  you  the  benefit 
of  the  advice  of  those  who  are  older  than  yourself,  and 
who,  by  their  calling  may  be  able  to  decide  more  correctly 
whether  this  supernatural  power  has  been  exercised  by  a 
good  or  evil  intelligence  ?  " 

"  The  holy  Father  speaks  well,  Philip  Vanderdecken," 
observed  Mathias. 


148  The  Phantom  Ship 

"If  it  be  the  work  of  the  Almighty,  to  whom  should 
you  confide  and  by  whom  should  you  be  guided,  but  by 
those  who  do  His  service  on  this  earth  ?  If  of  the  Evil 
One,  to  whom  but  to  those  whose  duty  and  wish  it  is  to 
counteract  his  baneful  influence  ?  And  reflect,  Philip, 
that  this  secret  may  sit  heavily  on  the  mind  of  your 
cherished  wife,  and  may  bow  her  to  the  grave,  as  it  did 
your  (I  trust)  sainted  mother.  "With  you,  and  supported 
by  your  presence,  she  may  bear  it  well ;  but,  recollect  how 
many  are  the  lonely  days  and  nights  that  she  must  pass 
during  your  absence,  and  how  much  she  must  require  the 
consolation  and  help  of  others.  A  secret  like  this  must  be 
as  a  gnawing  worm,  and,  strong  as  she  may  be  in  courage, 
must  shorten  her  existence,  but  for  the  support  and  the 
balm  she  may  receive  from  the  ministers  of  our  faith.  It 
was  cruel  and  selfish  of  you,  Philip,  to  leave  her,  a  lone 
woman,  to  bear  up  against  your  absence,  and  at  the  same 
time  oppressed  with  so  fatal  a  knowledge." 

"  You  have  convinced  me,  holy  Father,"  replied  Philips 
"  I  feel  that  I  should,  before  this,  have  made  you  ac- 
quainted with  this  strange  history.  I  will  now  state  the 
whole  of  the  circumstances  which  have  occurred,  but  with 
little  hope  your  advice  can  help  me,  in  a  case  so  difficult, 
and  in  a  duty  so  peremptory,  yet  so  perplexing." 

Philip  then  entered  into  a  minute  detail  of  all  that  had 
passed  from  the  few  days  previous  to  his  mother's  death, 
until  the  present  time,  and  when  he  had  concluded,  he 
observed — 

"  You  see.  Father,  that  I  have  bound  myself  by  a  solemn: 
vow — that  that  vow  has  been  recorded  and  accepted ;  and 
it  appears  to  me  that  I  have  nothing  now  to  do  but  to 
follow  my  peculiar  destiny." 

"  My  son,  you  have  told  us  strange  and  startling  things 
— things  not  of  this  world — if  you  are  not  deceived. 
Leave  us  now.  Father  Mathias  and  I  will  consult  upon 
this  serious  matter,  and  when  we  are  agreed,  you  shall 
know  our  decision." 

Philip  went  upstairs  to  see  Amine  j  she  was  still  in  a 


The  Phantom  Ship  149 

deep  sleep :  he  dismissed  the  servant,  and  watched  by  the 
bedside.  For  nearly  two  hours  did  he  remain  there,  when 
he  was  summoned  down  to  meet  the  two  priests. 

**  We  have  had  a  long  conversation,  my  son,"  said 
Father  Seysen,  "  upon  this  strange,  and  perhaps  super- 
natural occurrence.  I  say  perhaps,  for  I  would  have  re- 
jected the  frenzied  communications  of  your  mother,  as  the 
imaginings  of  a  heated  brain ;  and  for  the  same  reason 
I  should  have  been  equally  inclined  to  suppose  that  the 
high  state  of  excitement  that  you  were  in  at  the  time  of 
her  death  may  have  disordered  your  intellect ;  but,  as 
Father  Mathias  positively  asserts,  that  a  strange,  if  not 
supernatural,  appearance  of  a  vessel  did  take  place,  on  his 
passage  home,  and  which  appearance  tallies  with  and 
corroborates  the  legend,  if  so  I  may  call  it,  to  which  you 
have  given  evidence ;  I  say  that  it  is  not  impossible  but 
that  it  is  supernatural." 

"  Recollect  that  the  same  appearance  of  the  Phantom 
Ship  has  been  permitted  to  me  and  to  many  others,"  replied 
Philip. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Father  Seysen ;  "  but  who  is  there  alive 
of  those  who  saw  it  but  yourself  ?  But  that  is  of  little 
importance.  We  will  admit  that  the  whole  affair  is  not 
the  work  of  man,  but  of  a  superior  intelligence." 

**  Superior,  indeed  !  "  replied  Philip.  "  It  is  the  work 
of  Heaven ! " 

**  That  is  a  point  not  so  easily  admitted ;  there  is 
another  power  as  well  as  that  which  is  divine — that  of  the 
devil ! — the  arch-enemy  of  mankind  !  But  as  that  power, 
inferior  to  the  power  of  God,  cannot  act  without  His 
permission,  we  may  indirectly  admit  that  it  is  the  will  of 
Heaven  that  such  signs  and  portents  should  be  allowed  to 
be  given  on  certain  occasions." 

**  Then  our  opinions  are  the  same,  good  Father." 

**Nay,  not  exactly,  my  son.  Elymas,  the  sorcerer,  was 
permitted  to  practise  his  arts — gained  from  the  devil — 
that  it  might  be  proved,  by  his  overthrow  and  blindness, 
how  inferior  was  his  master  to  the  Divine  Ruler  ;  but  it 


150  The  Phantom  Ship 

does  not  therefore  follow  that  sorcery  generally  was 
permitted.  In  this  instance  it  may  be  true  that  the  Evil 
One  has  been  permitted  to  exercise  his  power  over  the 
captain  and  crew  of  that  ship,  and,  as  a  warning  against 
such  heavy  offences,  the  supernatural  appearance  of  the 
vessel  may  be  permitted.  So  far  we  are  justifiable  in 
believing.  But  the  great  questions  are,  first,  whether  it  be 
your  father  who  is  thus  doomed  ?  and,  secondly,  how  far 
you  are  necessitated  to  follow  up  this  mad  pursuit,  which, 
it  appears  to  me — although  it  may  end  in  your  destruction 
— cannot  possibly  be  the  means  of  rescuing  your  father 
from  his  state  of  unhallowed  abeyance  ?  Do  you  under- 
stand me,  Philip  ? " 

**  I  certainly  understand  what  you  would  say.  Father ; 
but " 

**  Answer  me  not  yet.  It  is  the  opinion  of  this  holy 
father  as  well  as  of  myself,  that,  allowing  the  facts  to  be 
as  you  suppose,  the  revelations  made  to  you  are  not  from 
on  high,  but  the  suggestions  of  the  devil,  to  lead  you  into 
danger  and  ultimately  to  death ;  for  if  it  were  your  task, 
as  you  suppose,  why  did  not  the  vessel  appear  on  this 
last  voyage,  and  how  can  you  (allowing  that  you  met  her 
fifty  times)  have  communication  with  that,  or  with  those 
which  are  but  phantoms  and  shadows,  things  not  of 
this  world  ?  Now  what  we  propose  is,  that  you  should 
spend  a  proportion  of  the  money  left  by  your  father,  in 
masses  for  the  repose  of  his  soul,  which  your  mother, 
in  other  circumstances,  would  certainly  have  done;  and 
that  having  so  done,  you  should  remain  quietly  on  shore 
until  some  new  sign  should  be  given  to  you  which  may 
warrant  our  supposing  that  you  are  really  chosen  for  this 
strange  pursuit  ?  " 

**  But  my  oath,  Father — my  recorded  vow  ?" 

"  From  that,  my  son,  the  holy  Church  hath  power  to 
absolve  you  ;  and  that  absolution  you  shall  receive.  You 
have  put  yourself  into  our  hands,  and  by  our  decision  you 
must  be  guided.  If  there  be  wrong,  it  is  we,  and  not 
you,  who  are  responsible  j  but,  at  present,  let  us  say  no 


The  Phantom  Ship  151 

more.  I  will  now  go  up,  and  so  soon  as  your  wife  awakens, 
prepare  her  for  your  meeting." 

When  Father  Seysen  had  quitted  the  room,  Father 
Mathias  debated  the  matter  with  Philip.  A  long  dis- 
cussion ensued,  in  which  similar  arguments  were  made 
use  of  by  the  priest ;  and  Philip,  although  not  convinced, 
was,  at  least,  doubtful  and  perplexed.    He  left  the  cottage. 

"  A  new  sign — a  corroborative  sign,"  thought  Philip ; 
**  surely  there  have  been  signs  and  wonders  enough. 
Still  it  may  be  true  that  masses  for  my  father's  soul  may 
relieve  him  from  his  state  of  torture.  At  all  events,  if 
they  decide  for  me,  I  am  not  to  blame.  Well  then,  let 
us  wait  for  a  new  sign  of  the  Divine  will — if  so  it  must 
be;"  and  Philip  walked  on,  occasionally  thinking  on 
the  arguments  of  Father  Seysen,  and  oftener  thinking  of 
Amine. 

It  was  now  evening,  and  the  sun  was  fast  descending. 
Philip  wandered  on,  until  at  last  he  arrived  at  the  very 
spot  where  he  had  knelt  down  and  pronounced  his  solemn 
vow.  He  recognised  it  -,  he  looked  at  the  distant  hills. 
The  sun  was  just  at  the  same  height ;  the  whole  scene, 
the  place,  and  the  time  were  before  him.  Again  Philip 
knelt  down,  took  the  relic  from  his  bosom  and  kissed  it. 
He  watched  the  sun ;  he  bowed  himself  to  the  earth. 
He  waited  for  a  sign;  but  the  sun  sank  down  and  the 
veil  of  night  spread  over  the  landscape.  There  was  no 
sign;  and  Philip  rose  and  walked  home  towards  the 
cottage,  more  inclined  than  before  to  follow  the  sugges- 
tions of  Father  Seysen. 

On  his  return,  Philip  went  softly  upstairs  and  entered 
the  room  of  Amine,  whom  he  found  awake  and  in 
conversation  with  the  priests.  The  curtain  was  closed, 
and  he  was  not  perceived.  With  a  beating  heart  he 
remained  near  the  wall  at  the  head  of  the  bed. 

"  Reason  to  believe  that  my  husband  has  arrived !  "  said 
Amine,  in  a  faint  voice.     **  Oh  tell  me,  why  so  ? " 

"  His  ship  is  arrived,  we  know ;  and  one  who  had  seen 
her  said  that  all  were  well." 


152  The  Phantom  Ship 

*'  And  why  is  he  not  here,  then  ?  Who  should  bring 
the  news  of  his  return  but  himself?  Father  Seysen, 
either  he  has  not  arrived  or  he  is  here — I  know  he  must 
be,  if  he  is  safe  and  well.  I  know  my  Philip  too  well. 
Say !  is  he  not  here  ?  Fear  not,  if  you  say  yes  j  but  if 
you  say  no,  you  kill  me  !  " 

"He  is  here,  Amine,"  replied  Father  Seysen — "here 
and  well." 

**  O  God !  I  thank  you  -,  but  where  is  he  ?  If  he  is 
here,  he  must  be  in  this  room,  or  else  you  deceive  me. 
Oh,  this  suspense  is  death  ! " 

"I  am  here,"  cried  Philip,  opening  the  curtains. 

Amine  rose  with  a  shriek,  held  out  her  arms,  and  then 
fell  senseless  back.  In  a  few  seconds,  however,  she  was 
restored,  and  proved  the  truth  of  the  good  Father's 
assertion,  "  that  joy  does  not  kill." 

We  must  now  pass  over  the  few  days  during  which 
Philip  watched  the  couch  of  his  Amine,  who  rapidly  re- 
gained her  strength.  As  soon  as  she  was  well  enough 
to  enter  upon  the  subject,  Philip  narrated  all  that  had 
passed  since  his  departure;  the  confession  which  he  had 
made  to  Father  Seysen,  and  the  result.  Amine,  too  glad 
that  Philip  should  remain  with  her,  added  her  persuasions 
to  those  of  the  priests,  and,  for  some  little  time,  Philip 
talked  no  more  of  going  to  sea. 


Chapter   XIV 

Six  weeks  had  flown  away,  and  Amine,  restored  to  health, 
wandered  over  the  country,  hanging  on  the  arm  of  her 
adored  Philip,  or  nestled  by  his  side  in  their  comfortable 
home.  Father  Mathias  still  remained  their  guest ;  the 
masses  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of  Vanderdecken  had 
been  paid  for,  and  more  money  had  been  confided  to  the 
care  of  Father  Seysen  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  the 
afflicted  poor.     It  may  be  easily  supposed  that  one  of  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  153 

chief  topics  of  conversation  between  Philip  and  Amine 
was  the  decision  of  the  two  priests  relative  to  the  conduct 
of  Philip.  He  had  been  absolved  from  his  oath,  but,  at 
the  same  time  that  he  submitted  to  his  clerical  advisers, 
he  was  by  no  means  satisfied.  His  love  for  Amine,  her 
wishes  for  his  remaining  at  home,  certainly  added  weight 
to  the  fiat  of  Father  Seysen;  but,  although  he  in  con- 
sequence obeyed  it  more  willingly,  his  doubts  of  the 
propriety  of  his  conduct  remained  the  same.  The  argu- 
ments of  Amine,  who,  now  that  she  was  supported  by 
the  opinion  of  the  priests,  had  become  opposed  to  Philip's 
departure ;  even  her  caresses,  with  which  those  arguments 
were  mingled,  were  effective  but  for  the  moment.  No 
sooner  was  Philip  left  to  himself,  no  sooner  was  the 
question,  for  a  time,  dismissed,  than  he  felt  an  inward 
accusation  that  he  was  neglecting  a  sacred  duty.  Amine 
perceived  how  often  the  cloud  was  upon  his  brow ;  she 
knew  too  well  the  cause,  and  constantly  did  she  recommence 
her  arguments  and  caresses,  until  Philip  forgot  that  there 
was  aught  but  Amine  in  the  world. 

One  morning,  as  they  were  seated  upon  a  green  bank 
picking  the  flowers  that  blossomed  round  them,  and 
tossing  them  away  in  pure  listlessness,  Amine  took  the 
opportunity  that  she  had  often  waited  for,  to  enter  upon 
a  subject  hitherto  unmentioned. 

**  Philip,"  said  she,  "  do  you  believe  in  dreams  ?  think 
you  that  we  may  have  supernatural  communications  by 
such  means  ? " 

"  Of  course  we  may,"  replied  Philip ;  "  we  have  proof 
abundant  of  it  in  the  holy  writings." 

"Why,  then,  do  you  not  satisfy  your  scruples  by  a 
dream  ? " 

"  My  dearest  Amine,  dreams  come  unbidden ;  we  can- 
not command  or  prevent  them " 

"  We  can  command  them,  Philip ;  say  that  you  would 
dream  upon  the  subject  nearest  to  your  heart,  and  you 
shall!'' 

"I  shall?" 


154  The  Phantom  Ship 

*'  Yes  !  I  have  that  power,  Philip,  although  I  have  not 
spoken  of  it.  I  had  it  from  my  mother,  with  much  more 
that  of  late  I  have  never  thought  of.  You  know,  Philip, 
I  never  say  that  which  is  not.  I  tell  you,  that,  if  you 
choose,  you  shall  dream  upon  it." 

'*  And  to  what  good,  Amine  ?  If  you  have  power 
to  make  me  dream,  that  power  must  be  from  some- 
where." 

"  It  is,  of  course :  there  are  agencies  you  little  think  of, 
which,  in  my  country,  are  still  called  into  use.  I  have  a 
charm,  Philip,  which  never  fails." 

"  A  charm.  Amine !  do  you,  then,  deal  in  sorcery  ?  for 
such  powers  cannot  be  from  Heaven." 

"  I  cannot  tell.     I  only  know  the  power  is  given." 

"  It  must  be  from  the  devil.  Amine." 

"  And  why  so,  Philip  ?  May  I  not  use  the  argument  of 
your  own  priests,  who  say,  *  that  the  power  of  the  devil  is 
only  permitted  to  be  used  by  Divine  intelligence,  and  that 
it  cannot  be  used  without  that  permission  ? '  Allow  it  then 
to  be  sorcery,  or  what  you  please,  unless  by  Heaven  per- 
mitted, it  would  fail.  But  I  cannot  see  why  we  should 
suppose  that  it  is  from  an  evil  source.  We  ask  for  a 
warning  in  a  dream  to  guide  our  conduct  in  doubtful 
circumstances.  Surely  the  evil  one  would  rather  lead  us 
wrong  than  right  !  " 

"  Amine,  we  may  be  warned  in  a  dream,  as  the  patriarchs 
were  of  old  ;  but  to  use  mystic  or  unholy  charms  to  procure 
a  vision,  is  making  a  compact  with  the  devil." 

**  Which  compact  the  devil  could  not  fulfil  if  not  per- 
mitted by  a  higher  power.  Philip,  your  reasoning  is  false. 
We  are  told  that,  by  certain  means,  duly  observed,  we  may 
procure  the  dreams  we  wish.  Our  observance  of  these 
means  is  certainly  the  least  we  can  attend  to,  to  prove  our 
sincerity.  Forgive  me,  Philip,  but  are  not  observances  as 
necessary  in  your  religion — which  I  have  embraced  ?  Are 
we  not  told  that  the  omission  of  the  mere  ceremony  of 
water  to  the  infant  will  turn  all  future  chance  of  happiness 
to  misery  eternal  ?  " 


The  Phantom  Ship  155 

Philip  answered  not  for  some  time.  "I  am  afraid. 
Amine,"  said  he,  at  last,  in  a  low  tone ;  **  I " 

"  I  fear  nothing,  Philip,  when  my  intentions  are  good," 
replied  Amine.  "  I  follow  certain  means  to  obtain  an  end. 
What  is  that  end  ?  It  is  to  find  out  (if  possible)  what  may 
be  the  will  of  Heaven  in  this  perplexing  case.  If  it 
should  be  through  the  agency  of  the  devil — what 
then  ?  He  becomes  my  servant,  and  not  my  master ;  he 
is  permitted  by  Heaven  to  act  against  himself;"  and 
Amine's  eyes  darted  fire,  as  she  thus  boldly  expressed 
herself. 

**Did  your  mother  often  exercise  her  art?"  inquired 
Philip,  after  a  pause. 

"Not  to  my  knowledge  ;  but  it  was  said  that  she  was 
most  expert.  She  died  young  (as  you  know),  or  I  should 
have  known  much  more.  Think  you,  Philip,  that  this 
world  is  solely  peopled  by  such  dross  as  we  are  ? — things 
of  clay — perishable  and  corruptible  ?  Lords  over  beasts — 
and  ourselves  but  little  better.  Have  you  not,  from  your 
own  sacred  writings,  repeated  acknowledgments  and  proofs 
of  higher  intelligences  mixing  up  with  mankind,  and  acting 
here  below  ?  Why  should  what  was  then,  not  be  now ! 
and  what  more  harm  is  there  to  apply  for  their  aid  now, 
than  a  few  thousand  years  ago  ?  Why  should  you  suppose 
that  they  were  permitted  on  the  earth  then — and  not  per- 
mitted now  ?  What  has  become  of  them  ?  Have  they 
perished  ?  have  they  been  ordered  back — to  where — to 
heaven  ?  If  to  heaven — the  world  and  mankind  have  been 
left  to  the  mercy  of  the  devil  and  his  agents.  Do  you 
suppose  that  we,  poor  mortals,  have  been  thus  abandoned  ? 
I  tell  you  plainly,  I  think  not.  We  no  longer  have  the 
communications  with  those  intelligences  that  we  once  had, 
because,  as  we  become  more  enlightened,  we  become  more 
proud,  and  seek  them  not ;  but  that  they  still  exist — a  host 
of  good  against  a  host  of  evil,  invisibly  opposing  each 
other — is  my  conviction.  But,  tell  me,  Philip,  do  you  in 
your  conscience  believe  that  all  that  has  been  revealed 
to  you  is  a  mere  dream  of  the  imagination  ?  " 


156  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  I  do  not  believe  so,  Amine :  you  know  well  I  wish  I 
could." 

"  Then  is  my  reasoning  proved :  for  if  such  communi- 
cations can  be  made  to  you,  why  cannot  others  ?  You 
cannot  tell  by  what  agency ;  your  priests  say  it  is  that  of 
the  evil  one  -,  you  think  it  is  from  on  high.  By  the  same 
rule,  who  is  to  decide  from  whence  the  dream  shall 
come  ? " 

"  'Tis  true.  Amine  ;  but  are  you  certain  of  your  power  ? " 

**  Certain  of  this  :  that  if  it  pleases  superior  intelligence 
to  communicate  with  you,  that  communication  may  be  relied 
upon.  Either  you  will  not  dream,  but  pass  away  the  hours 
in  deep  sleep,  or  what  you  dream  will  be  connected  with 
the  question  at  issue." 

"  Then,  Amine,  I  have  made  up  my  mind — I  will  dream  : 
for  at  present  my  mind  is  racked  by  contending  and  per- 
plexing doubts.  I  would  know  whether  I  am  right  or 
wrong.     This  night  your  art  shall  be  employed." 

**  Not  this  night,  nor  yet  to-morrow  night,  Philip. 
Think  you  one  moment  that,  in  proposing  this,  I  serve  you 
against  my  own  wishes  ?  I  feel  as  if  the  dream  will  decide 
against  me,  and  that  you  will  be  commanded  to  return  to 
your  duty  5  for  I  tell  you  honestly,  I  think  not  with  the 
priests ;  but  I  am  your  wife,  Philip,  and  it  is  my  duty  that 
you  should  not  be  deceived.  Having  the  means,  as  I 
suppose,  to  decide  your  conduct,  I  offer  them.  Promise 
me  that,  if  I  do  this,  you  will  grant  me  a  favour  which  I 
shall  ask  us  my  reward." 

"It  is  promised.  Amine,  without  its  being  known," 
replied  Philip,  rising  from  the  turf;  **and  now  let  us  go 
home." 

We  observed  that  Philip,  previous  to  his  sailing  in  the 
Bataviay  had  invested  a  large  proportion  of  his  funds  in 
Dutch  East  India  stock:  the  interest  of  the  money  was 
more  than  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  Amine,  and,  on  his 
return,  he  found  that  the  funds  left  in  her  charge  had 
accumulated.  After  paying  to  Father  Seysen  the  sums 
for  the  masses,  and  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  there  was 


The  Phantom  Ship  157 

a  considerable  residue,  and  Philip  had  employed  this  in 
the  purchase  of  more  shares  in  the  India  stock. 

The  subject  of  their  conversation  was  not  renewed. 
Philip  was  rather  averse  to  Amine  practising  those  mystical 
arts,  which,  if  known  to  the  priests,  would  have  obtained 
for  her,  in  all  probability,  the  anathema  of  the  Church. 
He  could  not  but  admire  the  boldness  and  power  of 
Amine's  reasonings,  but  still  he  was  averse  to  reduce 
them  into  practice.  The  third  day  had  passed  away, 
and  no  more  had  been  said  upon  the  subject. 

Philip  retired  to  bed,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep  ;  but 
Amine  slept  not.  So  soon  as  she  was  convinced  that 
Philip  would  not  be  awakened,  she  slipped  from  the  bed 
and  dressed  herself.  She  left  the  room,  and  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  returned,  bringing  in  her  hand  a  small  brazier 
of  lighted  charcoal,  and  two  small  pieces  of  parchment, 
rolled  up  and  fixed  by  a  knot  to  the  centre  of  a  narrow 
fillet.  They  exactly  resembled  the  philacteries  that  were 
once  worn  by  the  Jewish  nation,  and  were  similarly 
applied.  One  of  them  she  gently  bound  upon  the  fore- 
head of  her  husband,  and  the  other  upon  his  left  arm. 
She  threw  perfumes  into  the  brazier,  and  as  the  form  of 
her  husband  was  becoming  indistinct  from  the  smoke 
which  filled  the  room,  she  muttered  a  few  sentences, 
waved  over  him  a  small  sprig  of  some  shrub  which  she 
held  in  her  white  hand,  and  then  closing  the  curtains, 
and  removing  the  brazier  she  sat  down  by  the  side  of 
the  bed. 

*'  If  there  be  harm,"  thought  Amine,  "  at  least  the  deed 
is  not  his — 'tis  mine ;  they  cannot  say  that  he  has  practised 
arts  that  are  unlawful  and  forbidden  by  his  priests.  On 
my  head  be  it !  "  And  there  was  a  contemptuous  curl  on 
Amine's  beautiful  arched  lip,  which  did  not  say  much  for 
her  devotion  to  her  new  creed. 

Morning  dawned,  and  Philip  still  slumbered.  "'Tis 
enough,"  said  Amine,  who  had  been  watching  the  rising 
of  the  sun,  as  she  beheld  his  upper  limb  appear  above 
the   horizon.      Again  she   waved   her   arm   over   Philip, 


158  The  Phantom  Ship 

holding   the    sprig    in    her    hand;   and    cried,    "Philip, 
awake  ! " 

Philip  started  up,  opened  his  eyes,  and  shut  them  again 
to  avoid  the  glare  of  the  broad  daylight,  rested  upon  his 
elbow,  and  appeared  to  be  collecting  his  thoughts. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  exclaimed  he.  "In  my  own  bed  ? 
Yes  I "  He  passed  his  hand  across  his  forehead,  and 
felt  the  scroll.  "What  is  this?"  continued  he,  pulling 
it  off,  and  examining  it.  "  And  Amine,  where  is  she  ? 
Good  Heavens,  what  a  dream !  Another  ? "  cried  he, 
perceiving  the  scroll  tied  to  his  arm.  "I  see  it  now. 
Amine,  this  is  your  doing."  And  Philip  threw  himself 
down,  and  buried  his  face  in  the  pillow. 

Amine,  in  the  meantime,  had  slipped  into  bed,  and  had 
taken  her  place  by  Philip's  side.  "  Sleep,  Philip,  dear ! 
sleep  !  "  said  she,  putting  her  arms  round  him  ;  "  we  will 
talk  when  we  wake  again." 

"  Are  you    there.   Amine  ? "   replied   PhiHp,   confused. 

**  I   thought  I   was  alone ;   I   have   dreamed "     And 

Philip  again  was  fast  asleep  before  he  could  complete  his 
sentence.  Amine,  too,  tired  with  watching,  slumbered 
and  was  happy. 

Father  Mathias  had  to  wait  a  long  while  for  his 
breakfast  that  morning  ;  it  was  not  till  two  hours  later 
than  usual  that  Philip  and  Amine  made  their  appearance. 

"  Welcome,  my  children,"  said  he  ;  "  you  are  late." 

" We  are.  Father,"  replied  Amine ;  "for  Philip  slept, 
and  I  watched  till  break  of  day." 

"  He  hath  not  been  ill,  I  trust,"  replied  the  priest. 

"  No,  not  ill  *,  but  I  could  not  sleep,"  replied  Amine. 

"  Then  didst  thou  do  well  to  pass  the  night — as  I 
doubt  not  thou  hast  done,  my  child — in  holy  watchings." 

Philip  shuddered ;  he  knew  that  the  watching,  had  its 
cause  been  known,  would  have  been,  in  the  priest's 
opinion,  anything  but  holy.     Amine  quickly  replied — 

'*I  have,  indeed,  communed  with  higher  powers,  as  far 
as  my  poor  intellect  hath  been  able." 

The   blessing   of  our   holy   Church   upon   thee,  my 


<( 


The  Phantom  Ship  159 

child ! "  said  the  old  man,  putting  his  hand  upon  her 
head  ;  "  and  on  thee  too,  Philip." 

Philip,  confused,  sat  down  to  the  table  ;  Amine  was 
collected  as  ever.  She  spoke  little,  it  is  true,  and  appeared 
to  commune  with  her  own  thoughts. 

As  soon  as  the  repast  was  finished,  the  old  priest  took 
up  his  breviary,  and  Amine  beckoning  to  Philip,  they  went 
out  together.  They  walked  in  silence  until  they  arrived 
at  the  green  spot  where  Amine  had  first  proposed  to  him 
that  she  should  use  her  mystic  power.  She  sat  down,  and 
Philip,  fully  aware  of  her  purpose,  took  his  seat  by  her 
in  silence. 

"PhiJip,"  said  Amine,  taking  his  hand,  and  looking 
earnestly  in  his  face,  "last  night  you  dreamed." 

"  I  did,  indeed.  Amine,"  replied  Philip,  gravely. 

"  Tell  me  your  dream ;  for  it  will  be  for  me  to 
expound  it." 

**  I  fear  it  needs  but  little  exposition.  Amine.  All 
I  would  know  is,  from  what  intelligence  the  dream  has 
been  received  ?  " 

"  Tell  me  your  dream,"  replied  Amine,  calmly. 

**  I  thought,"  replied  Philip,  mournfully,  "  that  I  was 
sailing  as  captain  of  a  vessel  round  the  Cape  :  the  sea  was 
calm  and  the  breeze  light ;  I  was  abaft ;  the  sun  went 
down,  and  the  stars  were  more  than  usually  brilliant ;  the 
weather  was  warm,  and  I  lay  down  on  my  cloak,  with  my 
face  to  the  heavens,  watching  the  gems  twinkling  in  the 
sky  and  the  occasionally  falling  meteors.  I  thought  that 
I  fell  asleep,  and  awoke  with  a  sensation  as  if  sinking 
down.  I  looked  around  me ;  the  masts,  the  rigging,  the 
hull  of  the  vessel — all  had  disappeared,  and  I  was  floating 
by  myself  upon  a  large,  beautifully  shaped  shell  on  the 
wide  waste  of  waters.  I  was  alarmed,  and  afraid  to  move, 
lest  I  should  overturn  my  frail  bark  and  perish.  At  last, 
I  perceived  the  fore-part  of  the  shell  pressed  down,  as  if  a 
weight  were  hanging  to  it ;  and  soon  afterwards  a  small 
white  hand,  which  grasped  it.  I  remained  motionless,  and 
■would  have  called  out  that  my  little  bark  would  sink,  but 


i6o  The  Phantom  Ship 

I  could  not.  Gradually  a  figure  raised  itself  from  the 
waters,  and  leaned  with  both  arms  over  .the  fore-part  of  the 
shell,  where  I  first  had  seen  but  the  hand.  It  was  a 
female,  in  form  beautiful  to  excess ;  the  skin  was  white 
as  driven  snow  ;  her  long  loose  hair  covered  her,  and  the 
ends  floated  in  the  water;  her  arms  were  rounded  and 
like  ivory  :  she  said,  in  a  soft  sweet  voice — 

**  *  Philip  Vanderdecken,  what  do  you  fear  ?  Have  you 
not  a  charmed  life  ? ' 

"  *  I  know  not,'  replied  I,  '  whether  my  life  be  charmed 
or  not ;  but  this  I  know,  that  it  is  in  danger.' 

"  In  danger ! '  replied  she  ;  *  it  might  have  been  in 
danger  when  you  were  trusting  to  the  frail  works  of  men, 
which  the  waves  love  to  rend  to  fragments — your  good 
ships,  as  you  call  them,  which  but  float  about  upon 
sufferance ;  but  where  can  be  the  danger  when  in  a 
mermaid's  shell,  which  the  mountain  wave  respects,  and 
upon  which  the  cresting  surge  dare  not  throw  its  spray  ? 
Philip  Vanderdecken,  you  have  come  to  seek  your  father  ?  *" 

"  *  I  have,'  replied  I ;  *  is  it  not  the  will  of  Heaven  ? ' 

"  *  It  is  your  destiny — and  destiny  rules  all  above  and 
below.  Shall  we  seek  him  together  ?  This  shell  is 
mine ;  you  know  not  how  to  navigate  it ;  shall  I  assist 
you  ? ' 

*'*Willit  bear  us  both?' 

" '  You  will  see,'  replied  she,  laughing,  as  she  sank 
down  from  the  fore-part  of  the  shell,  and  immediately 
afterwards  appeared  at  the  side,  which  was  not  more  than 
three  inches  above  the  water.  To  my  alarm,  she  raised 
herself  up,  and  sat  upon  the  edge,  but  her  weight 
appeared  to  have  no  effect.  As  soon  as  she  was  seated  in 
this  way — for  her  feet  still  remained  in  the  water — the 
shell  moved  rapidly  along,  and  each  moment  increased 
its  speed,  with  no  other  propelling  power  than  that  of  her 
volition. 

"  '  Do  you  fear  now,  Philip  Vanderdecken  ? ' 

"  '  No  ! '  rephed  I. 

**  She   passed   her   hands   across   her   forehead,   threw 


The  Phantom  Ship  i6i 

aside  the  tresses  which  had  partly  concealed  her  face,  and 
said — 

"  *  Then  look  at  me.* 

"  I  looked,  Amine,  and  I  beheld  you  !  " 

'*  Me  !  "  observed  Amine,  with  a  smile  upon  her  lips. 

"  Yes,  Amine,  it  was  you.  I  called  you  by  your  name, 
and  threw  my  arms  round  you.  I  felt  that  I  could  remain 
with  you  and  sail  about  the  world  for  ever." 

"  Proceed,  Philip,"  said  Amine,  calmly. 

**  I  thought  we  ran  thousands  and  thousands  of  miles — 
we  passed  by  beautiful  islands,  set  like  gems  on  the  ocean 
bed ;  at  one  time  bounding  against  the  rippling  current,  at 
others  close  to  the  shore — skimming  on  the  murmuring 
wave  which  rippled  on  the  sand,  whilst  the  cocoa-tree 
on  the  beach  waved  to  the  cooling  breeze." 

** '  It  is  not  in  smooth  seas  that  your  father  must  be 
sought,'  said  she,  *  we  must  try  elsewhere.' 

**  By  degrees  the  waves  rose,  until  at  last  they  were 
raging  in  their  fury,  and  the  shell  was  tossed  by  the 
tumultuous  waters  ;  but  still  not  a  drop  entered,  and  we 
sailed  in  security  over  billows  which  would  have  swallowed 
up  the  proudest  vesseh 

"  *  Do  you  fear  now,  Philip  ? '  said  you  to  me. 

*'  *  No,'  replied  I ;  *  with  you.  Amine,  I  fear  nothing.' 

"  *  We  are  now  off  the  Cape  again,'  said  she ;  *  and  here 
you  may  find  your  father.  Let  us  look  well  round  us,  for 
if  we  meet  a  ship  it  must  be  his.  None  but  the  Phantom 
Ship  could  swim  in  a  gale  like  this.' 

**  Away  we  flew  over  the  mountainous  waves — skim- 
ming from  crest  to  crest  between  them,  our  little  bark 
sometimes  wholly  out  of  the  water  ;  now  east,  now  west, 
north,  south,  in  every  quarter  of  the  compass,  changing 
our  course  each  minute.  We  passed  over  hundreds  of 
miles  :  at  last  we  saw  a  vessel,  tossed  by  the  furious 
gale. 

"  *  There,'  cried  she,  pointing  with  her  finger,  *  there  is 
your  father's  vessel,  Philip.* 

"  Rapidly  did  we  approach — they  saw  us  from  on  board, 

P.S.  L 


1 62  The  Phantom  Ship 

and  brought  the  vessel  to  the  wind.  We  were  alongside 
— the  gangway  was  clearing  away — for  though  no  boat 
could  have  boarded,  our  shell  was  safe.  I  looked  up.  I 
saw  my  father.  Amine  !  Yes,  saw  him,  and  heard  him  as 
he  gave  his  orders.  I  pulled  the  relic  from  my  bosom, 
and  held  it  out  to  him.  He  smiled,  as  he  stood  on  the 
gunnel,  holding  on  by  the  main  shrouds.  I  was  just  rising 
to  mount  on  board,  for  they  had  handed  to  me  the  man- 
ropes,  when  there  was  a  loud  yell,  and  a  man  jumped  from 
the  gangway  into  the  shell.  You  shrieked,  slipped  from 
the  side,  and  disappeared  under  the  wave,  and  in  a  moment 
the  shell,  guided  by  the  man  who  had  taken  your  place, 
flew  away  from  the  vessel  with  the  rapidity  of  thought. 
I  felt  a  deadly  chill  pervade  my  frame.  I  turned  round  to 
look  at  my  new  companion — it  was  the  Pilot  Schriften ! — 
the  one-eyed  wretch  who  was  drowned  when  we  were 
wrecked  in  Table  Bay  ! 

"  *  No  !  no  !  not  yet ! '  cried  he. 

"  In  an  agony  of  despair  and  rage  I  hurled  him  off  his 
seat  on  the  shell,  and  he  floated  on  the  wild  waters. 

"  *  Philip  Vanderdecken,'  said  he,  as  he  swam,  *  we  shall 
meet  again  ! ' 

"  I  turned  away  my  head  in  disgust,  when  a  wave  filled 
my  bark,  and  down  it  sank.  I  was  struggling  under  the 
water,  sinking  still  deeper  and  deeper,  but  without  pain, 
when  I  awoke. 

"  Now,  Amine,"  said  Philip,  after  a  pause,  "  what  think 
you  of  my  dream  ? " 

"  Does  it  not  point  out  that  I  am  your  friend,  Philip, 
and  that  the  Pilot  Schriften  is  your  enemy  ?  " 

"  I  grant  it ;  but  he  is  dead." 

"  Is  that  so  certain  ? " 

'*He  hardly  could  have  escaped  without  my  know- 
ledge." 

'*  That  is  true,  but  the  dream  would  imply  otherwise. 
Philip,  it  is  my  opinion  that  the  only  way  in  which  this 
dream  is  to  be  expounded  is — that  you  remain  on  shore  for 
the  present.     The  advice  is  that  of  the  priests.     In  either 


The  Phantom  Ship  163 

case  you  require  some  further  intimation.  In  your  dream, 
/was  your  safe  guide — be  guided  now  by  me  again." 

"  Be  it  so,  Amine.  If  your  strange  art  be  in  opposition 
to  our  holy  faith,  you  expound  the  dream  in  conformity 
with  the  advice  of  its  ministers." 

*'  I  do.  And  now,  Philip,  let  us  dismiss  the  subject 
from  our  thoughts.  Should  the  time  come,  your  Amine 
will  not  persuade  you  from  your  duty ;  but  recollect,  you 
have  promised  to  grant  one  favour  when  I  ask  it." 

"  I  have  :  say,  then.  Amine,  what  may  be  your  wish  ?  " 

"  O  !  nothing  at  present.  I  have  no  wish  on  earth  but 
what  is  gratified.  Have  I  not  you,  dear  Philip  ?  "  replied 
Amine,  fondly  throwing  herself  on  her  husband's  shoulder. 


Chapter  XV 

It  was  about  three  months  after  this  conversation  that 
Amine  and  Philip  were  again  seated  upon  the  mossy  bank 
which  we  have  mentioned,  and  which  had  become  their 
favourite  resort.  Father  Mathias  had  contracted  a  great 
intimacy  with  Father  Seysen,  and  the  two  priests  were 
almost  as  inseparable  as  were  Philip  and  Amine.  Having 
determined  to  wait  a  summons  previous  to  Philip's  again 
entering  upon  his  strange  and  fearful  task ;  and,  happy  in 
the  possession  of  each  other,  the  subject  was  seldom  re- 
vived. Philip,  who  had,  on  his  return,  expressed  his  wish 
to  the  Directors  of  the  Company  for  immediate  employ- 
ment, and,  if  possible,  to  have  the  command  of  a  vessel, 
had,  since  that  period,  taken  no  further  steps,  nor  had  any 
communication  with  Amsterdam. 

"  I  am  fond  of  this  bank,  Philip,"  said  Amine ;  "  I 
appear  to  have  formed  an  intimacy  with  it.  It  was  here, 
if  you  recollect,  that  we  debated  the  subject  of  the  law- 
fulness of  inducing  dreams ;  and  it  was  here,  dear  Philip, 
that  you  told  me  your  dream,  and  that  I  expounded  it." 

**  You  did  so.  Amine ;   but  if  you  ask  the  opinion  of 


164  The  Phantom  Ship 

Father  Seysen,  you  will  find  that  he  would  give  rather  a 
strong  decision  against  you — he  would  call  it  heretical  and 
damnable." 

**  Let  him,  if  he  pleases.  I  have  no  objection  to  tell 
him." 

"  I  pray  not.  Amine  j  let  the  secret  remain  with  our- 
selves only." 

"  Think  you  Father  Mathias  would  blame  me  ? " 

**  I  certainly  do." 

**Well,  I  do  not;  there  is  a  kindness  and  liberality 
about  the  old  man  that  I  admire,  I  should  like  to  argue 
the  question  with  him." 

As  Amine  spoke,  Philip  felt  something  touch  his  shoulder, 
and  a  sudden  chill  ran  through  his  frame.  In  a  moment 
his  ideas  reverted  to  the  probable  cause :  he  turned  round 
his  head,  and,  to  his  amazement,  beheld  the  (supposed  to 
be  drowned)  mate  of  the  Ter  Schillings  the  one-eyed 
Schriften,  who  stood  behind  him,  with  a  letter  in  his  hand. 
The  sudden  appearance  of  this  malignant  wretch  induced 
Philip  to  exclaim,  **  Merciful  heaven  !  is  it  possible  .'' " 

Amine,  who  had  turned  her  head  round  at  the  exclama- 
tion of  Philip,  covered  up  her  face,  and  burst  into  tears. 
It  was  not  fear  that  caused  this  unusual  emotion  on  her 
part,  but  the  conviction  that  her  husband  was  never  to  be 
at  rest  but  in  the  grave. 

** Philip  Vanderdecken,"  said  Schriften,  "he!  he!  I've 
a  letter  for  you — it  is  from  the  Company." 

Philip  took  the  letter,  but,  previous  to  opening  it,  he 
fixed  his  eyes  upon  Schriften.  **I  thought,"  said  he, 
"  that  you  were  drowned  when  the  ship  was  wrecked  in 
False  Bay.     How  did  you  escape  ? " 

"How  did  I  escape  ?"  replied  Schriften.  "Allow  me 
to  ask  how  did  you  escape  ? " 

"  I  was  thrown  up  by  the  waves,"  replied  Philip  j 
*<  but " 

"But,"  interrupted  Schriften,  "he!  he!  the  waves 
ought  not  to  have  thrown  me  up." 

"  And  why  not,  pray  ?     I  did  not  say  that." 


i 


The  Phantom  Ship  165 

**  No !  but  I  presume  you  wish  it  had  been  so  j  but,  on 
the  contrary,  I  escaped  in  the  same  way  that  you  did — I 
was  thrown  up  by  the  waves — he  !  he !  but  I  can't  wait 
here.     I  have  done  my  bidding." 

"  Stop,"  replied  Philip;  answer  me  one  question.  **  Do 
you  sail  in  the  same  vessel  with  me  this  time  ? " 

"  I'd  rather  be  excused,"  replied  Schriften ;  "  I  am  not 
looking  for  the  Phantom  Ship,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  ; " 
and,  with  this  reply,  the  little  man  turned  round  and  went 
away  at  a  rapid  pace. 

"  Is  not  this  a  summons.  Amine  ? "  said  Philip,  after  a 
pause,  still  holding  the  letter  in  his  hand,  with  the  seal 
unbroken. 

"  I  will  not  deny  it,  dearest  Philip.  It  is  most  surely 
so ;  the  hateful  messenger  appears  to  have  risen  from  the 
grave  that  he  might  deliver  it.  Forgive  me,  Philip  ;  but  I 
was  taken  by  surprise.  I  will  not  again  annoy  you  with  a 
woman's  weakness." 

**My  poor  Amine,"  replied  Philip,  mournfully.  "Alas! 
why  did  I  not  perform  my  pilgrimage  alone  ?  It  was 
selfish  of  me  to  link  you  with  so  much  wretchedness,  and 
join  you  with  me  in  bearing  the  fardel  of  never-ending 
anxiety  and  suspense." 

And  who  should  bear  it  with  you,  my  dearest  Philip,  if 
it  is  not  the  wife  of  your  bosom  ?  You  little  know  my 
heart  if  you  think  I  shrink  from  the  duty.  No,  Philip,  it  is 
a  pleasure,  even  in  its  most  acute  pangs ;  for  I  consider 
that  I  am,  by  partaking  with,  relieving  you  of  a  portion  of 
your  sorrow,  and  I  feel  proud  that  I  am  the  wife  of  one 
who  has  been  selected  to  be  so  peculiarly  tried.  But, 
dearest,  no  more  of  this.     You  must  read  the  letter." 

Philip  did  not  answer.  He  broke  the  seal,  and  found 
that  the  letter  intimated  to  him  that  he  was  appointed  as 
first  mate  to  the  Froiu  Katerina,  a  vessel  which  sailed  with 
the  next  fleet ;  and  requesting  he  would  join  as  quickly  as 
possible,  as  she  would  soon  be  ready  to  receive  her  cargo. 
The  letter  which  was  from  the  secretary,  further  informed 
him  that,  after  this  voyage,  he  might  be  certain  of  having 


1 66  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  command  of  a  vessel  as  captain,  upon  conditions  which 
would  be  explained  when  he  called  upon  the  Board. 

"  I  thought,  Philip,  that  you  had  requested  the  command 
of  a  vessel  for  this  voyage,"  observed  Amine,  mournfully. 

"  I  did,"  replied  Philip ;  **  but  not  having  followed  up 
my  application,  it  appears  not  to  have  been  attended  to.  It 
has  been  my  own  fault." 

"  And  now  it  is  too  late  ?  " 

**  Yes,  dearest,  most  assuredly  so :  but  it  matters  not ; 
I  would  as  willingly,  perhaps  rather,  sail  this  voyage  as 
first  mate." 

"  Philip,  I  may  as  well  speak  now.  That  I  am  dis- 
appointed, I  must  confess  ;  I  fully  expected  that  you  would 
have  had  the  command  of  a  vessel,  and  you  may  remember 
that  I  exacted  a  promise  from  you,  on  this  very  bank  upon 
which  we  now  sit,  at  the  time  that  you  told  me  your 
dream.  That  promise  I  shall  still  exact,  and  I  now  tell 
you  what  I  had  intended  to  ask.  It  was,  my  dear  Philip, 
permission  to  sail  with  you.  With  you,  I  care  for  nothing. 
I  can  be  happy  under  every  privation  or  danger ;  but  to  be 
left  alone  for  so  long,  brooding  over  my  painful  thoughts, 
devoured  by  suspense,  impatient,  restless,  and  incapable  of 
applying  to  any  one  thing — that,  dear  Philip,  is  the  height 
of  misery,  and  that  is  what  I  feel  when  you  are  absent. 
Recollect,  I  have  your  promise,  Philip.  As  captain,  you 
have  the  means  of  receiving  your  wife  on  board.  I  am 
bitterly  disappointed  in  being  left  this  time ;  do,  therefore, 
to  a  certain  degree,  console  me  by  promising  that  I  shall 
sail  with  you  next  voyage,  if  Heaven  permit  your  return." 

"I  promise  it.  Amine,  since  you  are  so  earnest.  I  can 
refuse  you  nothing  ;  but  I  have  a  foreboding  that  yours 
and  my  happiness  will  be  wrecked  for  ever  I  am  not  a 
visionary,  but  it  does  appear  to  me  that,  strangely  mixed 
up  as  I  am,  at  once  with  this  world  and  the  next,  some 
little  portion  of  futurity  is  opened  to  me.  I  have  given 
my  promise,  Amine,  but  from  it  I  would  fain  be  released." 

"  And  if  ill  do  come,  Philip,  it  is  our  destiny.  Who  can 
avert  fate  ? " 


The  Phantom  Ship  167 

**  Amine,  we  are  free  agents,  and  to  a  certain  extent  are 
permitted  to  direct  our  own  destinies." 

"  Ay,  so  would  Father  Seysen  fain  have  made  me  believe; 
but  what  he  said  in  support  of  his  assertion  was  to  me 
incomprehensible.  And  yet  he  said  that  it  was  a  part  of 
the  Catholic  faith.  It  may  be  so — I  am  unable  to  under- 
stand many  other  points.  I  wish  your  faith  were  made 
more  simple.  As  yet  the  good  man — for  good  he  really  is 
— has  only  led  me  into  doubt." 

"  Passing  through  doubt,  you  will  arrive  at  conviction, 
Amine." 

'*  Perhaps  so,"  replied  Amine ;  "  but  it  appears  to  me 
that  I  am  as  yet  but  on  the  outset  of  my  journey.  But 
come,  Philip,  let  us  return.  You  must  to  Amsterdam, 
and  I  will  go  with  you.  After  your  labours  of  the  day,  at 
least  until  you  sail,  your  Amine's  smiles  must  still  enliven 
you.     Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  dearest,  I  would  have  proposed  it.  I  wonder 
much  how  Schriften  could  come  here.  I  did  not  see  his 
body  it  is  certain,  but  his  escape  is  to  me  miraculous. 
Why  did  he  not  appear  when  saved  ?  where  could  he  have 
been  ?     What  think  you.  Amine  ? " 

"  What  I  have  long  thought,  Philip.  He  is  a  ghoul 
with  an  evil  eye,  permitted  for  some  cause  to  walk  the 
earth  in  human  form  ;  and,  is,  certainly,  in  some  way, 
connected  with  your  strange  destiny.  If  it  requires  any- 
thing to  convince  me  of  the  truth  of  all  that  has  passed,  it 
is  his  appearance — the  wretched  Afrit !  Oh,  that  I  had 
my  mother's  powers  ! — but  I  forget ;  it  displeases  you, 
Philip,  that  I  ever  talk  of  such  things,  and  I  am  silent." 

Philip  replied  not ;  and  absorbed  in  their  own  medita- 
tions they  walked  back  in  silence  to  the  cottage.  Although 
Philip  had  made  up  his  own  mind,  he  immediately  sent  the 
Portuguese  priest  to  summon  Father  Seysen,  that  he  might 
communicate  with  them  and  take  their  opinion  as  to  the 
summons  he  had  received.  Having  entered  into  a  fresh 
detail  of  the  supposed  death  of  Schriften,  and  his  reappear- 
ance as  a  messenger,  he  then  left  the  two  priests  to  consult 


1 68  The  Phantom  Ship 

together,  and  went  upstairs  to  Amine.  It  was  more  than 
two  hours  before  Philip  was  called  down,  and  Father 
Seysen  appeared  to  be  in  a  state  of  great  perplexity. 

"  My  son,"  said  he,  "  we  are  much  perplexed.  We 
had  hoped  that  our  ideas  upon  this  strange  communication 
were  correct,  and  that,  allowing  all  that  you  have  obtained 
from  your  mother  and  have  seen  yourself  to  have  been  no 
deception,  still  that  it  was  the  work  of  the  evil  one ;  and, 
if  so,  our  prayers  and  masses  would  have  destroyed  this 
power.  We  advised  you  to  wait  another  summons,  and 
you  have  received  it.  The  letter  itself  is  of  course  nothing, 
but  the  reappearance  of  the  bearer  of  the  letter  is  the 
question  to  be  considered.  Tell  me,  Philip,  what  is  your 
opinion  on  this  point  ?  It  is  possible  he  might  have  been 
saved — why  not  as  well  as  yourself  ?  " 

"I  acknowledge  the  possibility.  Father,"  replied  Philip; 
**  he  may  have  been  cast  on  shore  and  have  wandered  in 
another  direction.  It  is  possible,  although  anything  but 
probable ;  but  since  you  ask  me  my  opinion,  I  must  say 
candidly  that  I  consider  he  is  no  earthly  messenger — nay, 
I  am  sure  of  it.  That  he  is  mysteriously  connected  with 
my  destiny  is  certain.  But  who  he  is,  and  what  he  is,  of 
course  I  cannot  tell." 

"  Then,  my  son,  we  have  come  to  the  determination,  in 
this  instance,  not  to  advise.  You  must  act  now  upon  your 
own  responsibility  and  your  own  judgment.  In  what  way 
soever  you  may  decide  we  shall  not  blame  you.  Our  prayers 
shall  be  that  Heaven  may  still  have  you  in  its  holy  keeping." 

"  My  decision,  holy  Father,  is  to  obey  the  summons." 

**  Be  it  so,  my  son ;  something  may  occur  which  may 
assist  to  work  out  the  mystery, — a  mystery  which  I  ac- 
knowledge to  be  beyond  my  comprehension,  and  of  too 
painful  a  nature  for  me  to  dwell  upon." 

Philip  said  no  more,  for  he  perceived  that  the  priest  was 
not  at  all  inclined  to  converse.  Father  Mathias  took  this 
opportunity  of  thanking  Philip  for  his  hospitality  and 
kindness,  and  stated  his  intention  of  returning  to  Lisbon 
by  the  first  opportunity  that  might  offer. 


The  Phantom  Ship  169 

In  a  few  days  Amine  and  Philip  took  leave  of  the  priests, 
and  quitted  for  Amsterdam — Father  Seysen  taking  charge 
of  the  cottage  until  Amine's  return.  On  his  arrival,  Philip 
called  upon  the  Directors  of  the  Company,  who  promised 
him  a  ship  on  his  return  from  the  voyage  he  was  about  to 
enter  upon,  making  a  condition  that  he  should  become  part 
owner  of  the  vessel.  To  this  Philip  consented,  and  then 
■went  down  to  visit  the  Vrow  Katerina,  the  ship  to  which 
he  had  been  appointed  as  first  mate.  She  was  still 
unrigged,  and  the  fleet  was  not  expected  to  sail  for  two 
months.  Only  part  of  the  crew  were  on  board,  and  the 
captain,  who  lived  at  Dort,  had  not  yet  arrived. 

So  far  as  Philip  could  judge,  the  Vroiv  Katerina  was  a 
very  inferior  vessel ;  she  was  larger  than  many  of  the 
others,  but  old,  and  badly  constructed ;  nevertheless,  as 
she  had  been  several  voyages  to  the  Indies,  and  had 
returned  in  safety,  it  was  to  be  presumed  that  she  would 
not  have  been  taken  up  by  the  Company  if  they  had  not 
been  satisfied  as  to  her  seaworthiness.  Having  given  a 
few  directions  to  the  men  who  were  on  board,  Philip 
returned  to  the  hostelry  where  he  had  secured  apartments 
for  himself  and  Amine. 

The  next  day,  as  Philip  was  superintending  the  fitting 
of  the  rigging,  the  captain  of  the  Vrow  Katerina  arrived, 
and,  stepping  on  board  of  her  by  the  plank  which  com- 
municated with  the  quay,  the  first  thing  that  he  did  was 
to  run  to  the  mainmast  and  embrace  it  with  both  arms, 
although  there  was  no  small  portion  of  tallow  on  it  to 
smear  the  cloth  of  his  coat.  "  Oh ;  my  dear  Vrow,  my 
Katerina !  "  cried  he,  as  if  he  were  speaking  to  a  female. 
**How  do  you  do .?  Fm  glad  to  see  you  again;  you  have 
been  quite  well,  I  hope  ?  You  do  not  like  being  laid  up 
in  this  way.  Never  mind,  my  dear  creature !  you  shall 
soon  be  handsome  again." 

The  name  of  this  personage  who  thus  made  love  to  his 
vessel,  was  Wilhelm  Barentz.  He  was  a  young  man, 
apparently  not  thirty  years  of  age,  of  diminutive  stature 
and  delicate  proportions.     His  face  was  handsome,  but 


1 7©  The  Phantom  Ship 

womanish.  His  movements  were  rapid  and  restless,  and 
there  was  that  appearance  in  his  eye  which  would  have 
warranted  the  supposition  that  he  was  a  little  flighty,  even 
if  his  conduct  had  not  fully  proved  the  fact. 

No  sooner  were  the  ecstacies  of  the  captain  over  than 
Philip  introduced  himself  to  him,  and  informed  him  of  his 
appointment.  **  Oh !  you  are  the  first  mate  of  the  Vroix/ 
Katerina,  Sir,  you  are  a  very  fortunate  man.  Next  to 
being  captain  of  her,  first  mate  is  the  most  enviable  situa- 
tion in  the  world." 

"Certainly  not  on  account  of  her  beauty,"  observed 
Philip  J  "  she  may  have  many  other  good  qualities." 

"  Not  on  account  of  her  beauty !  Why,  sir,  I  say  (as 
my  father  has  said  before  me,  and  it  was  his  Vrow  before 
it  was  mine)  that  she  is  the  handsomest  vessel  in  the  world. 
At  present  you  cannot  judge;  and  besides  being  the 
handsomest  vessel,  she  has  every  good  quality  under  the 
sun." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  sir,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  it  proves 
that  one  should  never  judge  by  appearances.  But  is  she 
not  very  old  ?  " 

**  Old !  not  more  than  twenty-eight  years — just  in  her 
prime.  Stop,  my  dear  sir,  till  you  see  her  dancing  on  the 
waters,  and  then  you  will  do  nothing  all  day  but  discourse 
with  me  upon  her  excellence,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  we 
shall  have  a  very  happy  time  together." 

"  Provided  the  subject  be  not  exhausted,"  replied  Philip. 

"  That  it  never  will  be,  on  my  part :  and,  allow  me  to 
observe,  Mr  Vanderdecken,  that  any  officer  who  finds 
fault  with  the  Vroiv  Katerina  quarrels  with  me.  I  am 
her  knight,  and  I  have  already  fought  three  men  in  her 
defence, — I  trust,  I  shall  not  have  to  fight  a  fourth." 

Philip  smiled :  he  thought  that  she  was  not  worth  fight- 
ing for ;  but  he  acted  upon  the  suggestion,  and,  from  that 
time  forward,  he  never  ventured  to  express  an  opinion 
against  the  beautiful  Vronv  Katerina, 

The  crew  were  soon  complete,  the  vessel  rigged,  her 
sails  bent,  and  she  was  anchored  in  the  stream,  surrounded 


The  Phantom  Ship  171 

by  the  other  ships  composing  the  fleet  about  to  be 
despatched.  The  cargo  was  then  received  on  board,  and, 
as  soon  as  her  hold  was  full,  there  came,  to  Philip's  great 
vexation,  an  order  to  receive  on  board  150  soldiers  and 
other  passengers,  many  of  whom  were  accompanied  by 
their  wives  and  families.  Philip  worked  hard,  for  the 
captain  did  nothing  but  praise  the  vessel,  and,  at  last,  they 
had  embarked  everything,  and  the  fleet  was  ready  to  sail. 

It  was  now  time  to  part  with  Amine,  who  had  remained 
at  the  hostelry,  and  to  whom  Philip  had  dedicated  every 
spare  moment  that  he  could  obtain.  The  fleet  was 
expected  to  sail  in  two  days,  and  it  was  decided,  that  on 
the  morrow  they  should  part.  Amine  was  cool  and 
collected.  She  felt  convinced  that  she  should  see  her 
husband  again,  and  with  that  feeling,  she  embraced  him  as 
they  separated  on  the  beach,  and  he  stepped  into  the  boat 
in  which  he  was  to  be  pulled  on  board. 

"  Yes,"  thought  Amine,  as  she  watched  the  form  of  her 
husband,  as  the  distance  between  them  increased — "  yes,  I 
know  that  we  shall  meet  again.  It  is  not  this  voyage 
which  is  to  be  fatal  to  you  or  me ;  but  I  have  a  dark  fore- 
boding that  the  next,  in  which  I  shall  join  you,  will  separate 
us  for  ever — in  which  way,  I  know  not — but  it  is  destined. 
The  priests  talk  of  free-will.  Is  it  free-will  which  takes 
him  away  from  me  ?  Would  he  not  rather  remain  on  shore 
with  me  ?  Yes.  But  he  is  not  permitted,  for  he  must 
fulfil  his  destiny.  Free-will !  Why,  if  it  were  not 
destiny  it  were  tyranny.  I  feel,  and  have  felt,  as  if  these 
priests  are  my  enemies ;  but  why  I  know  not :  they  are 
both  good  men,  and  the  creed  they  teach  is  good.  Good- 
will and  charity,  love  to  all,  forgiveness  of  injuries,  not 
judging    others.     All   this   is   good;  and   yet   my   heart 

whispers  to  me  that but   the  boat  is  alongside,  and 

Philip  is  climbing  up  the  vessel.  Farewell,  farewell,  my 
dearest  husband.  I  would  I  were  a  man  !  No,  no  !  'tis 
better  as  it  is." 

Amine  watched  till  she  could  no  longer  perceive  Philip, 
and  then  walked  slowly  to  the  hostelry.     The  next  day. 


172  The  Phantom  Ship 

when  she  arose,  she  found  that  the  fleet  had  sailed  at  day- 
light, and  the  channel,  which  had  been  so  crowded  with 
vessels,  was  now  untenanted. 

**  He  is  gone,'*  muttered  Amine  ;  "  now  for  many 
months  of  patient,  calm  enduring, — I  cannot  say  of  living, 
for  I  exist  but  in  his  presence." 


Chapter   XVI 

We  must  leave  Amine  to  her  solitude,  and  follow  the 
fortunes  of  Philip.  The  fleet  had  sailed  with  a  flowing 
sheet,  and  bore  gallantly  down  the  Zuyder  Zee  ;  but  they 
had  not  been  under  way  an  hour  before  the  Vroiv  Katerina 
was  left  a  mile  or  two  astern.  Mynheer  Barentz  found 
fault  with  the  setting  and  trimming  of  the  sails,  and  with 
the  man  at  the  helm,  who  was  repeatedly  changed;  in 
short,  with  everything  but  his  dear  Vrow  Katerina:  but 
all  would  not  do  ;  she  still  dropped  astern,  and  proved  to 
be  the  worst-sailing  vessel  in  the  fleet. 

"  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,"  said  he,  at  last,  "  the  Frow, 
as  my  father  used  to  say,  is  not  so  very  fast  before  the  wind. 
Vessels  that  are  good  on  a  wind  seldom  are  ;  but  this  I  will 
say,  that,  in  every  other  point  of  sailing,  there  is  no  other 
vessel  in  the  fleet  equal  to  the  Vronu  Katerina^'* 

"  Besides,"  observed  Philp,  who  perceived  how  anxious 
his  captain  was  on  the  subject,  "  we  are  heavily  laden,  and 
have  so  many  troops  on  deck." 

The  fleet  cleared  the  sands  and  were  then  close-hauled, 
when  the  Vronv  Katerina  pr6ved  to  sail  even  more  slowly 
than  before. 

"  When  we  are  so  i}ery  close-hauled,"  observed  Mynheer 
Barentz,  *'  the  Vronv  does  not  do  so  well;  but  a  point  free, 
and  then  you  will  see  how  she  will  show  her  stern  to  the 
whole  fleet.  _  She  is  a  fine  vessel,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken, 
is  she  not  1 ' 


The  Phantom  Ship  173 

"  A  very  fine,  roomy  vessel,'*  replied  Philip,  which  was 
all  that,  in  conscience,  he  could  say. 

The  fleet  sailed  on,  sometimes  on  a  wind,  sometimes 
free,  but  let  the  point  of  sailing  be  what  it  might,  the 
Vronv  Katerina  was  invariably  astern,  and  the  fleet  had  to 
heave-to  at  sunset  to  enable  her  to  keep  company ;  still,  the 
captain  continued  to  declare  that  the  point  of  sailing  on 
which  they  happened  to  be,  was  the  only  point  in  which  the 
Vroix)  Katerina  was  deficient.  Unfortunately,  the  vessel 
had  other  points  quite  as  bad  as  her  sailing  ;  she  was  crank, 
leaky,  and  did  not  answer  the  helm  well :  but  Mynheer 
Barentz  was  not  to  be  convinced.  He  adored  his  ship, 
and,  like  all  men  desperately  in  love,  he  could  see  no  fault 
in  his  mistress.  But  others  were  not  so  blind,  and  the 
admiral,  finding  the  voyage  so  much  delayed  by  the  bad 
sailing  of  one  vessel,  determined  to  leave  her  to  find  her 
way  by  herself  so  soon  as  they  had  passsed  the  Cape. 
He  was,  however,  spared  the  cruelty  of  deserting  her,  for 
a  heavy  gale  came  on  which  dispersed  the  whole  fleet,  and 
on  the  second  day  the  good  ship  Vrow  Katerina  found  her- 
self alone,  labouring  heavily  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  leaking 
so  much  as  to  require  hands  constantly  at  the  pumps,  and 
drifting  before  the  gale  as  fast  to  leeward  almost  as  she 
usually  sailed.  For  a  week  the  gale  continued,  and  each 
day  did  her  situation  become  more  alarming.  Crowded 
with  troops,  encumbered  with  heavy  stores,  she  groaned 
and  laboured,  while  whole  seas  washed  over  her,  and  the 
men  could  hardly  stand  at  the  pumps.  Philip  was  active, 
and  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost,  encouraging  the  worn- 
out  men,  securing  where  aught  had  given  way,  and  little 
interfered  with  by  the  captain,  who  was  himself  no 
sailor. 

"  Well,"  observed  the  captain  to  Philip,  as  they  held  on 
by  the  belaying-pins,  "  you'll  acknowledge  that  she  is  a  fine 
weatherly  vessel  in  a  gale — is  she  not  ?  Softly,  my  beauty, 
softly,"  continued  he,  speaking  to  the  vessel,  as  she  plunged 
heavily  into  the  waves,  and  every  timber  groaned.  "Softly, 
my  dear,  softly  !     How  those  poor  devils  in  the  other  ships 


174  The  Phantom  Ship 

must  be  knocking  about  now.  Heh  !  Mynheer  Vander- 
decken,  we  have  the  start  of  them  this  time  :  they  must  be 
a  terrible  long  way  down  to  leeward.  Don't  you  think 
so  ? " 

**  I  really  cannot  pretend  to  say,"  replied  Philip,  smiling. 

"Why,  there's  not  one  of  them  in  sight.  Yes,  by 
Heavens,  there  is !  Look  on  our  lee  beam.  I  see  one 
now.  Well,  she  must  be  a  capital  sailor  at  all  events  :  look 
there,  a  point  abaft  the  beam.  Mercy  on  me  !  how  stiff 
she  must  be  to  carry  such  a  press  of  canvas  !  " 

Philip  had  already  seen  her.  It  was  a  large  ship  on  a 
wind,  and  on  the  same  tack  as  they  were.  In  a  gale  in 
which  no  vessel  could  carry  the  top-sails,  the  Vrow  Katerina 
being  under  close-reefed  foresails  and  staysails,  the  ship 
seen  to  leeward  was  standing  under  a  press  of  sail — top- 
gallant-sail, royals,  flying-jib,  and  every  stitch  of  canvas 
which  could  be  set  in  a  light  breeze.  The  waves  were 
running  mountains  high,  bearing  each  minute  the  Vroiv 
Katerina  down  to  the  gunwale  :  and  the  ship  seen  appeared 
not  to  be  affected  by  the  tumultuous  waters,  but  sailed 
steadily  and  smoothly  on  an  even  keel.  At  once  Philip 
knew  it  must  be  the  Phantom  Ship,  in  which  his  father's 
doom  was  being  fulfilled. 

"  Very  odd,  is  it  not  ? "  observed  Mynheer  Barentz. 

Philip  felt  such  an  oppression  on  his  chest  that  he  could 
not  reply.  As  he  held  on  with  one  hand,  he  covered  up 
his  eyes  with  the  other. 

But  the  seamen  had  now  seen  the  vessel,  and  the  legend 
was  too  well  known.  Many  of  the  troops  had  climbed  on 
deck  when  the  report  was  circulated,  and  all  eyes  were 
now  fixed  upon  the  supernatural  vessel ;  when  a  heavy 
squall  burst  over  the  Vroiv  Katerina,  accompanied  with 
peals  of  thunder  and  heavy  rain,  rendering  it  so  thick  that 
nothing  could  be  seen.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  it  cleared 
away,  and,  when  they  looked  to  leeward,  the  stranger  was 
no  longer  in  sight. 

"  Merciful  Heaven  !  she  must  have  been  upset,  and  has 
gone  down  in  the  squall,"  said  Mynheer  Barentz.       '*  I 


The  Phantom  Ship  175 

thought  as  much,  carrying  such  a  press  of  sail.  There 
never  was  a  ship  that  could  carry  more  than  the  Vrow 
Katerina.  It  was  madness  on  the  part  of  the  captain  of 
that  vessel ;  but  I  suppose  he  wished  to  keep  up  with  us. 
Heh,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  ? " 

Philip  did  not  reply  to  these  remarks,  which  fully  proved 
the  madness  of  his  captain.  He  felt  that  his  ship  was 
doomed,  and  when  he  thought  of  the  numbers  on  board 
who  might  be  sacrificed,  he  shuddered.  After  a  pause, 
he  said — 

"  Mynheer  Barentz,  this  gale  is  likely  to  continue,  and 
the  best  ship  that  ever  was  built  cannot,  in  my  opinion, 
stand  such  weather.  I  should  advise  that  we  bear  up,  and 
run  back  to  Table  Bay  to  refit.  Depend  upon  it,  we  shall 
find  the  whole  fleet  there  before  us." 

"Never  fear  for  the  good  ship,  Vroiv  Katerina ^  replied 
the  captain ;  "  see  what  weather  she  makes  of  it." 

«*  Cursed  bad,"  observed  one  of  the  seamen,  for  the 
seamen  had  gathered  near  to  Philip  to  hear  what  his  advice 
might  be.  *'  If  I  had  known  that  she  was  such  an  old, 
crazy  beast,  I  never  would  have  trusted  myself  on  board. 
Mynheer  Vanderdecken  is  right ;  we  must  back  to  Table 
Bay  ere  worse  befall  us.  That  ship  to  leeward  has  given 
us  warning — she  is  not  seen  for  nothing, — ask  Mr  Vander- 
decken, captain ;  he  knows  that  well,  for  he  is  a  sailor." 

This  appeal  to  Philip  made  him  start ;  it  was,  however, 
made  without  any  knowledge  of  Philip's  interest  in  the 
Phantom  Ship. 

"  I  must  say,"  replied  Philip,  "  that,  whenever  I  have 
fallen  in  with  that  vessel,  mischief  has  ever  followed." 

"  Vessel !  why,  what  was  there  in  that  vessel  to 
frighten  you  ?  She  carried  too  much  sail,  and  she  has 
gone  down." 

"  She  never  goes  down,"  rephed  one  of  the  seamen. 

"  No  !  no  !  "  exclaimed  many  voices  ;  **  but  we  shall,  if 
Ave  do  not  run  back." 

"  Pooh !  nonsense  !  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  what  say 
you?" 


176  The  Phantom  Ship 

<«  I  have  already  stated  my  opinion,"  replied  Philip,  who 
was  anxious,  if  possible,  to  see  the  ship  once  more  in 
port,  **  that  the  best  thing  we  can  do,  is  to  bear  up  for 
Table  Bay." 

"  And,  captain,"  continued  the  old  seaman  who  had 
just  spoken,  "  we  are  all  determined  that  it  shall  be  so, 
whether  you  like  it  or  not ;  so  up  with  the  helm,  my  hearty, 
and  Mynheer  Vanderdecken  will  trim  the  sails." 

"Why!  what  is  this?"  cried  Captain  Barentz.  *'A 
mutiny  on  board  of  the  Vroiv  Katerina  ?  Impossible ! 
The  Frow  Katerina!  the  best  ship,  the  fastest  in  the 
whole  fleet ! " 

**  The  dullest  old  rotten  tub,"  cried  one  of  the  seamen. 

"What!"  cried  the  captain,  "what  do  I  hear? 
Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  confine  that  lying  rascal  for 
mutiny." 

"  Pooh  I  nonsense  I  he's  mad,"  replied  the  old  seaman. 
"  Never  mind  him ;  come,  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  we 
will  obey  you;  but  the  helm  must  be  up  immedi- 
ately." 

The  captain  stormed,  but  Philip,  by  acknowledging  the 
superiority  of  his  vessel,  at  the  same  time  that  he  blamed 
the  seamen  for  their  panic,  pointed  out  to  him  the  necessity 
of  compliance,  and  Mynheer  Barentz  at  last  consented. 
The  helm  was  put  up,  the  sails  trimmed,  and  the  Frow 
Katerina  rolled  heavily  before  the  gale.  Towards  the 
evening  the  weather  moderated,  and  the  sky  cleared  up ; 
both  sea  and  wind  subsided  fast ;  the  leaking  decreased, 
and  Philip  was  in  hopes  that  in  a  day  or  two  they  would 
arrive  safely  in  the  Bay. 

As  they  steered  their  course,  so  did  the  wind  gradually 
decrease,  until,  at  last,  it  fell  calm ;  nothing  remained  of 
the  tempest  but  a  long  heavy  swell  which  set  to  the  west- 
ward, and  before  which  the  Frow  Katerina  was  gradually 
drifting.  This  was  a  respite  to  the  worn-out  seamen,  and 
also  to  the  troops  and  passengers,  who  had  been  cooped 
below  or  drenched  on  the  main-deck. 

The  upper  deck  was  crowded  y  mothers  basked  in  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  177 

warm  sun  with  their  children  in  their  arms ;  the  rigging 
was  filled  with  the  wet  clothes,  which  were  hung  up  to 
dry  on  every  part  of  the  shrouds ;  and  the  seamen  were 
busily  employed  in  repairing  the  injuries  of  the  gale.  By 
their  reckoning,  they  were  not  more  than  fifty  miles  from 
Table  Bay,  and  each  moment  they  expected  to  see  the 
land  to  the  southward  of  it.  All  was  again  mirth,  and 
everyone  on  board,  except  Philip,  considered  that  danger 
was  no  more  to  be  apprehended. 

The  second  mate,  whose  name  was  Krantz,  was  an 
active,  good  seaman,  and  a  great  favourite  with  Philip,  who 
knew  that  he  could  trust  to  him,  and  it  was  on  the  after- 
noon of  this  day  that  he  and  Philip  were  walking  together 
on  the  deck. 

"What  think  you,  Vanderdecken,  of  the  strange  vessel 
we  saw  ? " 

*'  I  have  seen  her  before,  Krantz  ;  and " 

"  And  what  ?  " 

"  Whatever  vessel  I  have  been  in  when  I  have  seen  her, 
that  vessel  has  never  returned  into  port — others  tell  the 
same  tale." 

"  Is  she,  then,  the  ghost  of  a  vessel  ? " 

*'  I  am  told  so ;  and  there  are  various  stories  afloat 
concerning  her :  but  of  this,  I  assure  you — that  I  am 
fully  persuaded  than  some  accident  will  happen  before 
we  reach  port,  although  everything,  at  this  moment, 
appears  so  calm,  and  our  port  is  so  near  at  hand." 

"You  are  superstitious,"  replied  Krantz;  "and  yet 
I  must  say  that,  to  me,  the  appearance  was  not  like  a 
reality.  No  vessel  could  carry  such  sail  in  the  gale  ;  but 
yet,  there  are  madmen  afloat  who  will  sometimes  attempt 
the  most  absurd  things.  If  it  was  a  vessel,  she  must 
have  gone  down,  for  when  it  cleared  up  she  was  not  to 
be  seen.  I  am  not  very  credulous,  and  nothing  but  the 
occurrence  of  the  consequences  which  you  anticipate  will 
make  me  believe  that  there  was  anything  supernatural 
in  the  affair." 

"  Well !  I  shall  not  be  sorry  if  the  event  proves  me 

P.S.  M 


178  The  Phantom  Ship 


wrong,"  replied  Philip  ;  ''  but  I  have  my  forebodings — 
we  are  not  in  port  yet." 

**  No !  but  we  are  but  a  trifling  distance  from  it, 
and  there  is  every  prospect  of  a  continuance  of  fine 
weather." 

**  There  is  no  saying  from  what  quarter  the  danger 
may  come,"  replied  Philip  ;  "we  have  other  things  to 
fear  than  the  violence  of  the  gale." 

**  True,"  replied  Krantz ;  "but,  nevertheless,  don't 
let  us  croak.  Notwithstanding  all  you  say,  I  prophesy 
that  in  two  days,  at  the  farthest,  we  are  safely  anchored 
in  Table  Bay." 

The  conversation  here  dropped,  and  Philip  was  glad 
to  be  left  alone.  A  melancholy  had  seized  him  —  a 
depression  of  spirits  even  greater  than  he  had  ever  felt 
before.  He  leant  over  the  gangway  and  watched  the 
heaving  of  the  sea. 

"  Merciful  Heaven  !  "  ejaculated  he,  "  be  pleased  to 
spare  this  vessel ;  let  not  the  wail  of  women,  the  shrieks 
of  the  poor  children,  now  embarked,  be  heard ;  the 
numerous  body  of  men,  trusting  to  her  planks,  —  let 
them  not  be  sacrificed  for  my  father's  crimes."  And 
Philip  mused.  "  The  ways  of  Heaven  are  indeed 
mysterious,"  thought  he. — *'Why  should  others  suffer 
because  my  father  has  sinned  ?  And  yet,  is  it  not  so 
everywhere  .''  How  many  thousands  fall  on  the  field  of 
battle  in  a  war  occasioned  by  the  ambition  of  a  king, 
or  the  influence  of  a  woman  !  How  many  millions  have 
been  destroyed  for  holding  a  different  creed  of  faith  ! 
He  works  in  His  own  way,  leaving  us  to  wonder  and  to 
doubt." 

The  sun  had  set  before  Philip  had  quitted  the  gangway 
and  gone  down  below.  Commending  himself  and  those 
embarked  with  him  to  the  care  of  Providence,  he  at  last 
fell  asleep ;  but,  before  the  bell  was  struck  eight  times 
to  announce  midnight,  he  was  awakened  by  a  rude  shove 
of  the  shoulder,  and  perceived  Krantz,  who  had  the  first 
watch,  standing  by  him. 


The  Phantom  Ship  179 

"  By  the  Heaven  above  us  !  Vanderdecken,  you  have 
prophesied  right  !  Up — quick  !      The  ship's  on  fire  I  " 

"  On  fire  !  "  exclaimed  Vanderdecken,  jumping  out  of 
his  berth — "  where  ?  " 

*'  The  main-hold." 

"  I  will  up  immediately,  Krantz.  In  the  meantime, 
keep  the  hatches  on  and  rig  the  pumps." 

In  less  than  a  minute  Philip  was  on  deck,  where  he 
found  Captain  Barentz,  who  had  also  been  informed  of 
the  case  by  the  second  mate. — In  a  few  words  all  was 
explained  by  Krantz  :  there  was  a  strong  smell  of  fire 
proceeding  from  the  main-hold ;  and,  on  removing  one 
of  the  hatches,  which  he  had  done  without  calling  for 
any  assistance,  from  a  knowledge  of  the  panic  it  would 
create,  he  found  that  the  hold  was  full  of  smoke ;  he 
had  put  it  on  again  immediately,  and  had  only  made  it 
known  to  Philip  and  the  captain. 

"  Thanks  for  your  presence  of  mind,"  replied  Philip  ; 
"  we  have  now  time  to  reflect  quietly  on  what  is  to  be 
done.  If  the  troops  and  the  poor  women  and  children 
knew  their  danger,  their  alarm  would  have  much  im- 
peded us  :  but  how  could  she  have  taken  fire  in  the 
main-hold  ? " 

"I  never  heard  of  the  Vronv  Katertna  taking  fire  before," 
observed  the  captain  ;  "  I  think  it  is  impossible.  It  must 
be  some  mistake — she  is " 

"  I  now  recollect  that  we  have,  in  our  cargo,  several 
cases  of  vitriol  in  bottles,"  interrupted  Philip.  "  In  the 
gale,  they  must  have  been  disturbed  and  broken.  I  kept 
them  above  all,  in  case  of  accident :  this  roUing,  gunwale 
under,  for  so  long  a  time  must  have  occasioned  one  of 
them  to  fetch  way." 

**  That's  it,  depend  upon  it,"  observed  Krantz. 

"I  did  object  to  receive  them,  stating  that  they  ought 
to  go  out  in  some  vessel  which  was  not  so  encumbered 
with  troops,  so  that  they  might  remain  on  the  main- 
deck  •,  but  they  replied,  that  the  invoices  were  made  out 
and  could  not  be  altered.     But  now  to  act.     My  idea  is 


i8o  The  Phantom  Ship 

to  keep  the  hatches  on,  so  as  to  smother  it  if  pos- 
sible." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Krantz ;  "  and,  at  the  same  time,  cut 
a  hole  in  the  deck  just  large  enough  to  admit  the  hose, 
and  pump  as  much  water  as  we  can  down  into  the  hold." 

"  You  are  right,  Krantz ;  send  for  the  carpenter,  and 
set  him  to  work.  I  will  turn  the  hands  up  and  speak  to 
the  men.  I  smell  the  fire  now  very  strong  -,  there  is  no 
time  to  lose. — If  we  can  only  keep  the  troops  and  the 
women  quiet  we  may  do  something." 

The  hands  were  turned  up,  and  soon  made  their  appear- 
ance on  deck,  wondering  why  they  were  summoned.  The 
men  had  not  perceived  the  state  of  the  vessel,  for,  the 
hatches  having  been  kept  on,  the  little  smoke  that  issued 
ascended  the  hatchway  and  did  not  fill  the  lower  deck. 

"  My  lads,"  said  Philip,  "  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  we 
have  reason  to  suspect  that  there  is  some  danger  of  fire 
in  the  main-hold." 

"  I  smell  it !  "  cried  one  of  the  seamen. 

"So  do  I,"  cried  several  others,  with  every  show  of 
alarm,  and  moving  away  as  if  to  go  below. 

"  Silence,  and  remain  where  you  are,  my  men.  Listen 
to  what  I  say :  if  you  frighten  the  troops  and  passengers 
we  shall  do  nothing  ;  we  must  trust  to  ourselves ;  there 
is  no  time  to  be  lost. — Mr  Krantz  and  the  carpenter  are 
doing  all  that  can  be  done  at  present ;  and  now,  my  men, 
do  me  the  favour  to  sit  down  on  the  deck,  every  one  of 
you,  while  I  tell  you  what  we  must  do." 

This  order  of  Philip's  was  obeyed,  and  the  effect  was 
excellent :  it  gave  the  men  time  to  compose  themselves 
after  the  first  shock  ;  for,  perhaps,  of  all  shocks  to  the 
human  frame,  there  is  none  which  creates  a  greater  panic 
than  the  first  intimation  of  fire  on  board  of  a  vessel — a 
situation,  indeed,  pitiable,  when  it  is  considered  that  you 
have  to  choose  between  the  two  elements  seeking  your 
destruction.  Philip  did  not  speak  for  a  minute  or  two. 
He  then  pointed  out  to  the  men  the  danger  of  their 
situation,  what  were  the  measures  which  he  and  Krantz 


The  Phantom  Ship  i8i 

had  decided  upon  taking,  and  how  necessary  it  was  that 
all  should  be  cool  and  collected.  He  also  reminded  them 
that  they  had  but  little  powder  in  the  magazine,  which 
was  far  from  the  site  of  the  fire,  and  could  easily  be 
removed  and  thrown  overboard ;  and  that,  if  the  fire 
could  not  be  extinguished,  they  had  a  quantity  of  spars 
on  deck  to  form  a  raft,  which,  with  the  boats,  would 
receive  all  on  board,  and  that  they  were  but  a  short 
distance  from  land. 

Philip's  address  had  the  most  beneficial  effects ;  the 
men  rose  up  when  he  ordered  them ;  one  portion  went 
down  to  the  magazine,  and  handed  up  the  powder,  which 
was  passed  along  and  thrown  overboard ;  another  went 
to  the  pumps ;  and  Krantz,  coming  up,  reported  the  hole 
to  have  been  cut  in  the  planking  of  the  deck  above  the 
main-hold :  the  hoses  were  fixed,  and  a  quantity  of  water 
soon  poured  down,  but  it  was  impossible  that  the  danger 
could  be  kept  secret.  The  troops  were  sleeping  on  the 
deck,  and  the  very  employment  of  the  seamen  pointed 
out  what  had  occurred,  even  if  the  smoke,  which  now 
increased  very  much,  and  filled  the  lower  deck,  had  not 
betrayed  it.  In  a  few  minutes  the  alarm  of  Fire!  was 
heard  throughout  the  vessel,  and  men,  women,  and 
children  were  seen,  some  hurrying  on  their  clothes, 
some  running  frightened  about  the  decks,  some  shrieking, 
some  praying,  and  the  confusion  and  terror  were  hardly 
to  be  described. 

The  judicious  conduct  of  Philip  was  then  made  evident : 
had  the  sailors  been  awakened  by  the  appalling  cry,  they 
would  have  been  equally  incapable  of  acting,  as  were  the 
troops  and  passengers.  All  subordination  would  have 
ceased :  some  would  have  seized  the  boats,  and  left  the 
majority  to  perish :  others  would  have  hastened  to  the 
spirit-room,  and,  by  their  drunkenness,  added  to  the 
confusion  and  horror  of  the  scene :  nothing  would  have 
been  effected,  and  almost  all  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  perished  miserably.  But  this  had  been  prevented 
by  the  presence  of  mind  shown  by  Philip  and  the  second 


1 82  The  Phantom  Ship 

mate,  for  the  captain  was  a  cypher : — not  wanting  in 
courage  certainly,  but  without  conduct  or  a  knowledge 
of  his  profession.  The  seamen  continued  steady  to  their 
duty,  pushing  the  soldiers  out  of  the  way  as  they  per- 
formed their  allotted  tasks ;  and  Philip  perceiving  this, 
went  down  below,  leaving  Krantz  in  charge ;  and  by 
reasoning  with  the  most  collected,  by  degrees  he  brought 
the  majority  of  the  troops  to  a  state  of  comparative 
coolness. 

The  powder  had  been  thrown  overboard,  and  another 
hole  having  been  cut  in  the  deck  on  the  other  side,  the 
other  pump  was  rigged,  and  double  the  quantity  of  water 
poured  into  the  hold ;  but  it  was  evident  to  Philip  that 
the  combustion  increased.  The  smoke  and  steam  now 
burst  through  the  interstices  of  the  hatchways  and  the 
holes  cut  in  the  deck,  with  a  violence  that  proved  the 
extent  of  the  fire  which  raged  below,  and  Philip  thought 
it  advisable  to  remove  all  the  women  and  children  to  the 
poop  and  quarter-deck  of  the  ship,  desiring  the  husbands 
of  the  women  to  stay  with  them.  It  was  a  melancholy 
sight,  and  the  tears  stood  in  Philip's  eyes  as  he  looked 
upon  the  group  of  females — some  weeping  and  straining 
their  children  to  their  bosoms ;  some  more  quiet  and 
more  collected  than  the  men :  the  elder  children  mute 
or  crying  because  their  mothers  cried,  and  the  younger 
ones,  unconscious  of  danger,  playing  with  the  first  object 
which  attracted  their  attention,  or  smiling  at  their  parents. 
The  officers  commanding  the  troops  were  two  ensigns 
newly  entered,  and  very  young  men,  ignorant  of  their 
duty  and  without  any  authority — for  men  in  cases  of 
extreme  danger  will  not  obey  those  who  are  more  ignorant 
than  themselves — and,  at  Philip's  request,  they  remained 
with  and  superintended  the  women  and  children. 

So  soon  as  Philip  had  given  his  orders  that  the  women 
and  children  should  be  properly  clothed  (which  many  of 
them  were  not),  he  went  again  forward  to  superintend 
the  labour  of  the  seamen,  who  already  began  to  show 
symptoms  of  fatigue,  from  the  excess  of  their  exertions  ; 


The  Phantom  Ship  183 

but  many  of  the  soldiers  now  offered  to  work  at  the 
pumps,  and  their  services  were  willingly  accepted.  Their 
efforts  were  in  vain.  In  about  half  an  hour  more  the 
hatches  were  blown  up  with  a  loud  noise,  and  a  column  of 
intense  and  searching  flame  darted  up  perpendicularly  from 
the  hold,  high  as  the  lower  mast-head.  Then  was  heard 
the  loud  shriek  of  the  women,  who  pressed  their  children 
in  agony  to  their  breasts,  as  the  seamen  and  soldiers  who 
had  been  working  the  pumps,  in  their  precipitate  retreat 
from  the  scorching  flames,  rushed  aft,  and  fell  among  the 
huddled  crowd. 

"  Be  steady,  my  lads — steady,  my  good  fellows,"  ex- 
claimed Philip ;  "  there  is  no  danger  yet.  Recollect,  we 
have  our  boats  and  raft,  and  although  we  cannot  subdue 
the  fire,  and  save  the  vessel,  still  we  may,  if  you  are  cool 
and  collected,  not  only  save  ourselves,  but  everyone — even 
the  poor  infants,  who  now  appeal  to  you  as  men  to  exert 
yourselves  in  their  behalf.  Come,  come,  my  lads,  let  us 
do  our  duty — we  have  the  means  of  escape  in  our  power  if 
we  lose  no  time.  Carpenter,  get  your  axes,  and  cut  away 
the  boom-lashings.  Now,  my  men,  let  us  get  our  boats 
out,  and  make  a  raft  for  these  poor  women  and  children ; 
we  are  not. ten  miles  from  the  land.  Krantz,  see  to  the 
boats  with  the  starboard  watch ;  larboard  watch  with  me, 
to  launch  over  the  booms.  Gunners,  take  any  of  the 
cordage  you  can,  ready  for  lashing.  Come,  my  lads, 
there  is  no  want  of  light — we  can  work  without  lanterns." 

The  men  obeyed,  as  Philip,  to  encourage  them,  had 
almost  jocularly  remarked  (for  a  joke  is  often  well-timed, 
when  apparently  on  the  threshold  of  eternity),  there  was 
no  want  of  light.  The  column  of  fire  now  ascended  above 
the  main-top — licking  with  its  forky  tongue  the  top-mast 
rigging — and  embracing  the  mainmast  in  its  folds  :  and  the 
loud  roar  with  which  it  ascended  proved  the  violence  and 
rapidity  of  the  combustion  below,  and  how  little  time  there 
was  to  be  lost.  The  lower  and  main  decks  were  now  so 
filled  with  smoke  that  no  one  could  remain  there  ;  some 
few   poor   fellows,    sick   in   their    cots,   had    long    been 


1 84  The  Phantom  Ship 

smothered,  for  they  had  been  forgotten.  The  swell  had 
much  subsided,  and  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind  ;  the 
smoke  which  rose  from  the  hatchways  ascended  straight 
up  in  the  air,  which,  as  the  vessel  had  lost  all  steerage 
way,  was  fortunate.  The  boats  were  soon  in  the  water, 
and  trusty  men  placed  in  them :  the  spars  were  launched 
over,  arranged  by  the  men  in  the  boats,  and  lashed  to- 
gether. All  the  gratings  were  then  collected  and  firmly 
fixed  upon  the  spars  for  the  people  to  sit  upon  ;  and 
Philip's  heart  was  glad  at  the  prospect  which  he  now  had 
of  saving  the  numbers  which  were  embarked. 


Chapter  XVII 

But  their  diiEculties  were  not  surmounted — the  fire  now 
had  communicated  to  the  main-deck,  and  burst  out  of  the 
port-holes  amidships — and  the  raft  which  had  been  forming 
alongside  was  obliged  to  be  drifted  astern,  where  it  was 
more  exposed  to  the  swell.  This  retarded  their  labour, 
and,  in  the  meantime,  the  fire  was  making  rapid  progress  ; 
the  mainmast,  which  had  long  been  burning,  fell  over  the 
side  with  the  lurching  of  the  vessel,  and  the  flames  out  of 
the  main-deck  ports  soon  showed  their  points  above  the 
bulwarks,  while  volumes  of  smoke  were  poured  in  upon 
the  upper  deck,  almost  suffocating  the  numbers  which 
were  crowded  there ;  for  all  communication  with  the 
fore-part  of  the  ship  had  been,  for  some  time,  cut  off  by 
the  flames,  and  everyone  had  retreated  aft.  The  women 
and  children  were  now  carried  on  to  the  poop  j  not  only 
to  remove  them  farther  from  the  suffocating  smoke,  but 
that  they  might  be  lowered  down  to  the  raft  from  the 
stern. 

It  was  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  all  was 
ready,  and  by  the  exertions  of  Philip  and  the  seamen, 
notwithstanding  the  swell,  the  women  and  children  were 
safely  placed  on  the  raft,  where  it  was  considered  that 


The  Phantom  Ship  185 

they  would  be  less  in  the  way,  as  the  men  could  relieve 
each  other  in  pulling  when  they  were  tired. 

After  the  women  and  children  had  been  lowered  down, 
the  troops  were  next  ordered  to  descend  by  the  ladders  5 
some  few  were  lost  in  the  attempt,  falling  under  the 
boat's  bottom  and  not  reappearing ;  but  two-thirds  of  the 
men  were  safely  put  in  the  berths  they  were  ordered  to 
take  by  Krantz,  who  had  gone  down  to  superintend  this 
important  arrangement.  Such  had  been  the  vigilance  of 
Philip,  who  had  requested  Captain  Barentz  to  stand  over 
the  spirit-room  hatch,  with  pistols,  until  the  smoke  on 
the  main-deck  rendered  the  precaution  unnecessary,  that 
not  a  single  person  was  intoxicated,  and  to  this  might  be 
ascribed  the  order  and  regularity  which  had  prevailed 
during  this  trying  scene.  But  before  one-third  of  the 
soldiers  had  descended  by  the  stern  ladder,  the  fire  burst 
out  of  the  stern  windows  with  a  violence  that  nothing 
could  withstand ;  spouts  of  vivid  flame  extended  several 
feet  from  the  vessel,  roaring  with  the  force  of  a  blow- 
pipe ;  at  the  same  time,  the  flames  bursi  through  all  the 
after-ports  of  the  main-deck,  and  those  remaining  on 
board  found  themselves  encircled  with  fire,  and  suffocated 
with  smoke  and  heat.  The  stern  ladders  were  consumed 
in  a  minute  and  dropped  into  the  sea ;  the  boats  which 
had  been  receiving  the  men  were  obliged,  also,  to  back 
astern  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  flames  ;  even  those  on 
the  raft  shrieked  as  they  found  themselves  scorched  by 
the  ignited  fragments  which  fell  on  them  as  they  were 
enveloped  in  an  opaque  cloud  of  smoke,  which  hid  from 
them  those  who  still  remained  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel. 
Philip  attempted  to  speak  to  those  on  board,  but  he  was 
not  heard.  A  scene  of  confusion  took  place  which  ended 
in  great  loss  of  life.  The  only  object  appeared  to  be 
who  should  first  escape;  though,  except  by  jumping 
overboard,  there  was  no  escape.  Had  they  waited,  and 
(as  Philip  would  have  pointed  out  to  them)  have  one  by 
one  thrown  themselves  into  the  sea,  the  men  in  the  boats 
were  fully  prepared  to  pick  them  up ;  or  had  they  climbed 


1 86  The  Phantom  Ship 

out  to  the  end  of  the  lateen  mizen-yard  which  was 
lowered  down,  they  might  have  descended  safely  by  a 
rope,  but  the  scorching  of  the  flames  which  surrounded 
them  and  the  suffocation  from  the  smoke  was  overpower- 
ing, and  most  of  the  soldiers  sprang  over  the  taffrail  at 
once,  or  as  nearly  so  as  possible.  The  consequence  was 
that  there  were  thirty  or  forty  in  the  water  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  scene  was  as  heart-rending  as  it  was  appall- 
ing ;  the  sailors  in  the  boats  dragging  them  in  as  fast  as 
they  could — the  women  on  the  raft,  throwing  to  them 
loose  garments  to  haul  them  in ;  at  one  time  a  wife 
shrieking  as  she  saw  her  husband  struggling  and  sinking 
into  eternity  ; — at  another,  curses  and  execrations  from 
the  swimmer  who  was  grappled  with  by  the  drowning 
man,  and  dragged  with  him  under  the  surface.  Of  eighty 
men  who  were  left  of  the  troops  on  board  at  the  time 
of  the  bursting  out  of  the  flames  from  the  stern  windows, 
but  twenty-five  were  saved.  There  were  but  few  sea- 
men left  on  board  with  Philip,  the  major  part  having  been 
employed  in  making  the  raft  or  manning  the  three  boats ; 
those  who  were  on  board  remained  by  his  side,  regulating 
their  motions  by  his.  After  allowing  full  time  for  the 
soldiers  to  be  picked  up,  Philip  ordered  the  men  to  climb 
out  to  the  end  of  the  lateen  yard  which  hung  on  the 
taffrail,  and  either  to  lower  themselves  down  on  the  raft 
if  it  was  under,  or  to  give  notice  to  the  boats  to  receive 
them.  The  raft  had  been  dropped  farther  astern  by  the 
seamen,  that  those  on  board  of  it  might  not  suffer  from 
the  smoke  and  heat;  and  the  sailors,  one  after  another, 
lowered  themselves  down  and  were  received  by  the  boats. 
Philip  desired  Captain  Barentz  to  go  before  him,  but  the 
captain  refused.  He  was  too  much  choked  with  smoke 
to  say  why,  but  no  doubt  but  that  it  would  have  been 
something  in  praise  of  the  Vronv  Katerina,  Philip  then 
climbed  out  •,  he  was  followed  by  the  captain,  and  they 
were  both  received  into  one  of  the  boats. 

The  rope  which  had  hitherto  held  the  raft  to  the  ship, 
was  now  cast  off,  and  it  was  taken  in  by  the  boats ;  and 


The  Phantom  Ship  187 

in  a  short  time  the  Vroiu  Katerina  was  borne  to  leeward 
of  them ;  and  Philip  and  Krantz  now  made  arrangements 
for  the  better  disposal  of  the  people.  The  sailors  were 
almost  all  put  into  boats,  that  they  might  relieve  one 
another  in  pulling ;  the  remainder  were  placed  on  the 
raft,  along  with  the  soldiers,  the  women,  and  the  children. 
Notwithstanding  that  the  boats  were  all  as  much  loaded 
as  they  could  well  bear,  the  numbers  on  the  raft  were  so 
great  that  it  sunk  nearly  a  foot  under  water  when  the 
swell  of  the  sea  poured  upon  it ;  but  stanchions  and  ropes 
to  support  those  on  board  had  been  fixed,  and  the  men 
remained  at  the  sides,  while  the  women  and  children  were 
crowded  together  in  the  middle. 

As  soon  as  these  arrangements  were  made,  the  boats 
took  the  raft  in  tow,  and  just  as  the  dawn  of  day  appeared, 
pulled  in  the  direction  of  the  land. 

The  Vroiv  Katerina  was,  by  this  time,  one  volume  of 
flame ;  she  had  drifted  about  half  a  mile  to  leeward,  and 
Captain  Barentz,  who  was  watching  her  as  he  sat  in  the 
boat  with  Philip,  exclaimed — "  Well,  there  goes  a  lovely 
ship,  a  ship  that  could  do  everything  but  speak — I'm  sure 
that  not  a  ship  in  the  fleet  would  have  made  such  a  bonfire 
as  she  has — does  she  not  burn  beautifully — nobly  ?  My 
poor  Vrow  Katerina!  perfect  to  the  last,  we  never  shall 
see  such  a  ship  as  you  again !  Well,  I'm  glad  my  father 
did  not  live  to  see  this  sight,  for  it  would  have  broken  his 
heart,  poor  man." 

Philip  made  no  reply,  he  felt  a  respect  even  for  Captain 
Barentz's  misplaced  regard  for  the  vessel.  They  made  but 
little  way,  for  the  swell  was  rather  against  them,  and  the 
raft  was  deep  in  the  water.  The  day  dawned,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  weather  was  not  favourable  ;  it  promised 
the  return  of  the  gale.  Already  a  breeze  ruffled  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  the  swell  appeared  to  increase 
rather  than  go  down.  The  sky  was  overcast  and  the 
horizon  thick.  Philip  looked  out  for  the  land  but  could 
not  perceive  it,  for  there  was  a  haze  on  the  horizon, 
so  that  he  could  not  see  more  than  five  miles.     He  felt 


188  The  Phantom  Ship 

that  to  gain  the  shore  before  the  coming  night  was 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  so  many  individuals, 
of  whom  more  than  sixty  were  women  and  children,  who, 
without  any  nourishment,  were  sitting  on  a  frail  raft, 
immersed  in  the  water.  No  land  in  sight — a  gale  coming 
on,  and  in  all  probability,  a  heavy  sea  and  dark  night. 
The  chance  was  indeed  desperate,  and  Philip  was  miserable 
— 'most  miserable — when  he  reflected  that  so  many  innocent 
beings  might,  before  the  next  morning,  be  consigned  to  a 
watery  tomb, — and  why  ? — yes,  there  was  the  feeling — 
that  although  Philip  could  reason  against,  he  never  could 
conquer  ;  for  his  own  life  he  cared  nothing — even  the  idea 
of  his  beloved  Amine  was  nothing  in  the  balance  at  these 
moments.  The  only  point  which  sustained  him,  was  the 
knowledge  that  he  had  his  duty  to  perform,  and,  in  the 
full  exercise  of  his  duty,  he  recovered  himself. 

"  Land  ahead  !  "  was  now  cried  out  by  Krantz,  who  was 
in  the  headmost  boat,  and  the  news  was  received  with  a 
shout  of  joy  from  the  raft  and  the  boats.  The  anticipation 
and  the  hope  the  news  gave  was  like  manna  in  the 
wilderness  ;  and  the  poor  v/omen  on  the  raft,  drenched 
sometimes  above  the  waist  by  the  swell  of  the  sea,  clasped 
the  children  in  their  arms  still  closer,  and  cried — **  My 
darling,  you  shall  be  saved." 

Philip  stood  upon  the  stern-sheets  to  survey  the  land, 
and  he  had  the  satisfacaion  of  finding  that  it  was  not  five 
miles  distant,  and  a  ray  of  hope  warmed  his  heart.  The 
breeze  now  had  gradually  increased,  and  rippled  the  water. 
The  quarter  from  which  the  wind  came  was  neither 
favourable  nor  adverse,  being  on  the  beam.  Had  they 
had  sails  for  the  boats,  it  would  have  been  otherwise,  but 
they  had  been  stowed  away  and  could  not  be  procured. 
The  sight  of  land  naturally  rejoiced  them  all,  and  the 
seamen  in  the  boats  cheered,  and  double-banked  the  oars 
to  increase  their  way  j  but  the  towing  of  a  large  raft  sunk 
under  water  was  no  easy  task  -,  and  they  did  not,  with 
all  their  exertions,  advance  more  than  half  a  mile  an  hour. 

Until  noon  they  continued  their  exertions,  not  without 


The  Phantom  Ship  i89 

success  ;  they  were  not  three  miles  from  the  land ;  but,  as 
the  sun  passed  the  meridian,  a  change  took  place ;  the 
breeze  blew  strong  ;  the  swell  of  the  sea  rose  rapidly  ;  and 
the  raft  was  often  so  deeply  immersed  in  the  waves  as  to 
alarm  them  for  the  safety  of  those  upon  her.  Their  way 
was  proportionally  retarded,  and  by  three  o'clock  they  had 
not  gained  half-a-mile  from  where  they  had  been  at  noon. 
The  men  not  having  had  refreshment  of  any  kind  during 
the  labour  and  excitement  of  so  many  hours,  began  to  flag 
in  their  exertions.  The  wish  for  water  was  expressed  by 
all — from  the  child  who  appealed  to  its  mother,  to  the 
seaman  who  strained  at  the  oar.  Philip  did  all  he  could 
to  encourage  the  men  -,  but  finding  themselves  so  near 
to  the  land,  and  so  overcome  with  fatigue,  and  that  the 
raft  in  tow  would  not  allow  them  to  approach  their  haven, 
they  murmured,  and  talked  of  the  necessity  of  casting  loose 
the  raft  and  looking  out  for  themselves.  A  feeling 
of  self  prevailed,  and  they  were  mutinous :  but  Philip 
expostulated  with  them,  and  out  of  respect  for  him,  they 
continued  their  exertions  for  another  hour,  when  a 
circumstance  occurred  which  decided  the  question,  upon 
which  they  had  recommenced  a  debate. 

The  increased  swell  and  the  fresh  breeze  had  so  beat 
about  and  tossed  the  raft,  that  it  was  with  difficulty,  for 
some  time,  that  its  occupants  could  hold  themselves  on  it. 
A  loud  shout,  mingled  with  screams,  attracted  the  attention 
of  those  in  the  boats,  and  Philip,  looking  back,  perceived 
that  the  lashings  of  the  raft  had  yielded  to  the  force  of  the 
waves,  and  that  it  had  separated  amidships.  The  scene 
was  agonising ;  husbands  were  separated  from  their  wives 
and  children — each  floating  away  from  each  other — for  the 
part  of  the  raft  which  was  still  towed  by  the  boats  had 
already  left  the  other  far  astern.  The  women  rose  up  and 
screamed,  and  held  up  their  children ;  some,  more  frantic, 
dashed  into  the  water  between  them,  and  attempted  to 
gain  the  floating  wreck  upon  which  their  husbands  stood, 
and  sank  before  they  could  be  assisted.  But  the  horror 
increased — one  lashing  having  given  way,  all  the  rest  soon 


190  The  Phantom  Ship 

followed ;  and,  before  the  boats  could  turn  and  give 
assistance  the  sea  was  strewed  with  the  spars  which 
composed  the  raft,  with  men,  women,  and  children 
clinging  to  them.  Loud  were  the  yells  of  despair,  and 
the  shrieks  of  the  women,  as  they  embraced  their  offspring, 
and  in  attempting  to  save  them  were  lost  themselves.  The 
spars  of  the  raft  still  close  together,  were  hurled  one  upon 
the  other  by  the  swell,  and  many  found  death  by  being 
jammed  between  them.  Although  all  the  boats  hastened 
to  their  assistance,  there  was  so  much  difficulty  and  danger 
in  forcing  them  between  the  spars,  that  but  few  were 
saved,  and  even  those  few  were  more  than  the  boats  could 
well  take  in.  The  seamen  and  a  few  soldiers  were  picked 
up,  but  all  the  females  and  the  children  had  sank  beneath 
the  waves. 

The  effect  of  this  catastrophe  may  be  imagined,  but 
hardly  described.  The  seamen  who  had  debated  as  to 
casting  them  adrift  to  perish,  wept  as  they  pulled  towards 
the  shore.  Philip  was  overcome,  he  covered  his  face,  and 
remained,  for  some  time,  without  giving  directions,  and 
heedless  of  what  passed. 

It  was  now  five  o'clock  in  the  evening ;  the  boats  had 
cast  off  the  tow-lines,  and  vied  with  each  other  in  their 
exertions.  Before  the  sun  had  set  they  all  had  arrived 
at  the  beach,  and  were  safely  landed  in  the  little  sand  bay 
into  which  they  had  steered ;  for  the  wind  was  off  the 
shore,  and  there  was  no  surf.  The  boats  were  hauled  up, 
and  the  exhausted  men  lay  down  on  the  sands,  till  warm 
with  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  forgetting  that  they  had 
neither  eaten  nor  drank  for  so  long  a  time,  they  were  soon 
fast  asleep.  Captain  Barentz,  Philip,  and  Krantz,  as  soon 
as  they  had  seen  the  boats  secured,  held  a  short  consulta- 
tion, and  were  then  glad  to  follow  the  example  of  the 
seamen ;  harassed  and  worn  out  with  the  fatigue  of  the 
last  twenty-four  hours,  their  senses  were  soon  drowned  in 
oblivion. 

For  many  hours  they  all  slept  soundly,  dreamt  of  water, 
and  awoke  to  the  sad  reality  that  they  were  tormented  with 


The  Phantom  Ship  191 

thirst,  and  were  on  a  sandy  beach  with  the  salt  waves 
mocking  them  ;  but  they  reflected  how  many  of  their  late 
companions  had  been  swallowed  up,  and  felt  thankful  that 
they  had  been  spared.  It  was  early  dawn  when  they  all 
rose  from  the  forms  which  they  had  impressed  on  the 
yielding  sand ;  and,  by  the  directions  of  Philip,  they 
separated  in  every  direction,  to  look  for  the  means  of 
quenching  their  agony  of  thirst.  As  they  proceeded  over 
the  sand-hills,  they  found  growing  in  the  sand  a  low 
spongy-leaf  sort  of  shrub,  something  like  what  in  our 
greenhouses  is  termed  the  ice-plant ;  the  thick  leaves  of 
which  were  covered  with  large  drops  of  dew.  They  sank 
down  on  their  knees,  and  proceeded  from  one  to  the  other 
licking  off  the  moisture  which  was  abundant,  and  soon 
felt  a  temporary  relief.  They  continued  their  search  till 
noon  without  success,  and  hunger  was  now  added  to  their 
thirst ;  they  then  returned  to  the  beach  to  ascertain  if  their 
companions  had  been  more  successful.  They  had  also 
quenched  their  thirst  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  but  had 
found  no  water  or  means  of  subsistence ;  but  some  of  them 
had  eaten  the  leaves  of  the  plant  which  had  contained  the 
dew  in  the  morning,  and  had  found  them,  although  acid, 
full  of  watery  sap  and  grateful  to  the  palate.  The  plant 
in  question  is  the  one  provided  by  bounteous  Providence 
for  the  support  of  the  camel  and  other  beasts  in  the  arid 
desert,  only  to  be  found  there,  and  devoured  by  all 
ruminating  animals  with  avidity.  By  the  advice  of  Philip 
they  collected  a  quantity  of  this  plant  and  put  it  into  the 
boats,  and  then  launched. 

They  were  not  more  than  fifty  miles  from  Table  Bay, 
and  although  they  had  no  sails,  the  wind  was  in  their 
favour.  Philip  pointed  out  to  them  how  useless  it  was  to 
remain,  when  before  morning  they  would,  in  all  probability, 
arrive  at  where  they  would  obtain  all  they  required.  The 
advice  was  approved  of  and  acted  upon  -,  the  boats  were 
shoved  off  and  the  oars  resumed.  So  tired  and  exhausted 
were  the  men,  that  their  oars  dipped  mechanically  into  the 
water,  for  there  was  no  strength  left  to  be  applied ;  it  was 


192  The  Phantom  Ship 

not  until  the  next  morning  at  daylight,  that  they  had 
arrived  opposite  False  Bay,  and  they  had  still  many  miles 
to  pull.  The  wind  in  their  favour  had  done  almost  all 
— the  men  could  do  little  or  nothing. 

Encouraged,  however,  by  the  sight  of  land  which  they 
knew,  they  rallied  ;  and  at  about  noon  they  pulled  ex- 
hausted to  the  beach  at  the  bottom  of  Table  Bay,  near  to 
which  were  the  houses,  and  the  fort  protecting  the  settlers 
who  had  for  some  few  years  resided  there.  They  landed 
close  to  where  a  broad  rivulet  at  that  season  (but  a  torrent 
in  the  winter)  poured  its  stream  into  the  Bay.  At  the 
sight  of  fresh  water,  some  of  the  men  dropped  their  oars, 
threw  themselves  into  the  sea  when  out  of  their  depth — 
others  when  the  water  was  above  their  waists — yet  they 
did  not  arrive  so  soon  as  those  who  waited  till  the  boat 
struck  the  beach,  and  jumped  out  upon  dry  land.  And 
then  they  threw  themselves  into  the  rivulet,  which  coursed 
over  the  shingle,  about  five  or  six  inches  in  depth,  allowing 
the  refreshing  stream  to  pour  into  their  mouths  till  they 
could  receive  no  more,  immersing  their  hot  hands,  and 
rolling  in  it  with  delight. 

Despots  and  fanatics  have  exerted  their  ingenuity  to 
invent  torments  for  their  victims — how  useless  ! — the  rack, 
the  boot,  fire, — all  that  they  have  imagined  are  not  to  be 
compared  to  the  torture  of  extreme  thirst.  In  the  ex- 
tremity of  agony  the  sufferers  cry  for  water  and  it  is  not 
refused  :  they  might  have  spared  themselves  their  refined 
ingenuity  of  torment  and  the  disgusting  exhibition  of  it, 
had  they  only  confined  the  prisoner  in  his  cell,  and  refused 
him  water. 

As  soon  as  they  had  satisfied  the  most  pressing  of  all 
wants,  they  rose  dripping  from  the  stream,  and  walked  up 
to  the  houses  of  the  factory  ;  the  inhabitants  of  which, 
perceiving  that  boats  had  landed,  when  there  was  no  vessel 
in  the  Bay,  naturally  concluded  that  some  disaster  had 
happened,  and  were  walking  down  to  meet  them. — Their 
tragical  history  was  soon  told.  The  thirty-six  men  that 
stood  before  them  were  all  that  were  left  of  nearly  three 


The  Phantom  Ship  193 

hundred  souls  embarked,  and  they  had  been  more  than  two 
days  without  food.  At  this  intimation  no  further  questions 
were  asked  by  the  considerate  settlers,  until  the  hunger  of 
the  sufferers  had  been  appeased,  when  the  narrative  of 
their  sufferings  was  fully  detailed  by  Philip  and  Krantz. 

**  I  have  an  idea  that  I  have  seen  you  before,"  observed 
one  of  the  settlers  ;  **  did  you  come  on  shore  when  the 
fleet  anchored  ?  " 

"  I  did  not,"  replied  Philip  ;  "  but  I  have  been  here." 

**  I  recollect,  now,"  replied  the  man  ;  "  you  were  the 
only  survivor  of  the  Ter  Schilling,  which  was  lost  in  False 
Bay." 

"  Not  the  only  survivor,"  replied  Philip  5  "  I  thought  so 
myself,  but  I  afterwards  met  the  pilot,  a  one-eyed  man,  of 
the  name  of  Schriften,  who  was  my  shipmate — he  must 
have  arrived  here  after  me.     You  saw  him,  of  course  ?  " 

"  No,  I  did  not ;  no  one  belonging  to  the  Ter  Schilling 
ever  came  here  after  you,  for  I  have  been  a  settler  here 
ever  since,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  I  should  forget  such  a 
circumstance." 

**  He  must,  then,  have  returned  to  Holland  by  some 
other  means." 

**  I  know  not  how. — Our  ships  never  go  near  the  coast 
after  they  leave  the  Bay  ;  it  is  too  dangerous." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  saw  him,"  replied  Philip,  musing. 

**  If  you  saw  him,  that  is  sufficient :  perhaps  some  vessel 
had  been  blown  down  to  the  eastern  side,  and  picked  him 
up  ;  but  the  natives  in  that  part  are  not  likely  to  have 
spared  the  life  of  a  European.  The  Gaffres  are  a  cruel 
people." 

The  information  that  Schriften  had  not  been  seen  at  the 
Cape,  was  a  subject  of  meditation  to  Philip.  He  had 
always  an  idea,  as  the  reader  knows,  that  there  was  some- 
thing supernatural  about  the  man,  and  this  opinion  was 
corroborated  by  the  report  of  the  settler. 

We  must  pass  over  the  space  of  two  months,  during 
which  the  wrecked  seamen  were  treated  with  kindness  by 
the  settlers,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  which,  a  small  brig 
p.s.  N 


194  '^^  Phantom  Ship 

arrived  at  the  Bay,  and  took  in  refreshments:  she  was 
homeward  bound,  with  a  full  cargo,  and  being  chartered 
by  the  Company,  could  not  refuse  to  receive  on  board  the 
crew  of  the  Vroiv  Katerina.  Philip,  Krantz,  and  the  sea- 
men embarked,  but  Captain  Barentz  remained  behind  to 
settle  at  the  Cape. 

**  Should  I  go  home,"  said  he  to  Philip,  who  argued  with 
him,  "  I  have  nothing  in  this  world  to  return  for.  I  have 
no  wife — no  children — I  had  but  one  dear  object,  my 
Vrow  Katerina,  who  was  my  wife,  my  child,  my  every- 
thing— she  is  gone,  and  I  never  shall  find  another  vessel 
like  her  ;  and  if  I  could,  I  should  not  love  it  as  I  did  her. 
No,  my  affections  are  buried  with  her ;  are  entombed  in 
the  deep  sea.  How  beautifully  she  burnt !  she  went  out 
of  the  world  like  a  phoenix,  as  she  was.  No  !  no  I  I  will 
be  faithful  to  her — I  will  send  for  what  little  money  I 
have,  and  live  as  near  to  her  tomb  as  I  can — I  never  shall 
forget  her  as  long  as  I  live.  I  shall  mourn  over  her,  and 
*  Vrow  Katerina,'  when  I  die,  will  be  found  engraven  on 
my  heart." 

Philip  could  not  help  wishing  that  his  affections  had  been 
fixed  upon  a  more  deserving  object,  as  then,  probably,  the 
tragical  loss  had  not  taken  place  ;  but  he  changed  the 
subject,  feeling  that,  being  no  sailor,  Captain  Barentz  was 
much  better  on  shore,  than  in  the  command  of  a  vessel. 
They  shook  hands  and  parted — Philip  promising  to  execute 
Barentz's  commission,  which  was  to  turn  his  money  into 
articles  most  useful  to  a  settler,  and  have  them  sent  out  by 
the  first  fleet  which  should  sail  from  the  Zuyder  Zee. 
But  this  commission  it  was  not  Philip's  good  fortune  to 
execute.  The  brig,  named  the  Wilhelmina,  sailed,  and  soon 
arrived  at  St  Helena.  After  watering  she  proceeded  on 
her  voyage.  They  had  made  the  Western  Isles,  and  Philip 
was  consoling  himself  with  the  anticipation  of  soon  joining 
his  Amine,  when  to  the  northward  of  the  Islands,  they 
met  with  a  furious  gale,  before  which  they  were  obliged  to 
scud  for  many  days,  with  the  vessel's  head  to  the  south- 
east 5  and  as  the  wind  abated  and  they  were  able  to  haul 


The  Phantom  Ship  195 

to  it,  they  fell  in  with  a  Dutch  fleet,  of  five  vessels, 
commanded  by  an  Admiral,  which  had  left  Amsterdam  more 
than  two  months,  and  had  been  buffeted  about,  by  contrary 
gales,  for  the  major  part  of  that  period.  Cold,  fatigue, 
and  bad  provisions  had  brought  on  the  scurvy,  and  the 
ships  were  so  weakly  manned  that  they  could  hardly 
navigate  them.  When  the  captain  of  the  Wilhelmina 
reported  to  the  Admiral  that  he  had  part  of  the  crew  of  the 
Vroiv  Katerina  on  board,  he  was  ordered  to  send  them 
immediately  to  assist  in  navigating  his  crippled  fleet — remon- 
strance was  useless — ^Philip  had  but  time  to  write  to  Amine, 
acquainting  her  with  his  misfortunes  and  disappointment ; 
and,  confiding  the  letter  to  his  wife,  as  well  as  his  narrative 
of  the  loss  of  the  Vroiv  Katerina  for  the  directors,  to  the 
charge  of  the  captain  of  the  Wilhelmina,  he  hastened  to 
pack  up  his  effects,  and  repaired  on  board  of  the  Admiral's 
ship,  with  Krantz  and  the  crew.  To  them  were  added  six 
of  the  men  belonging  to  the  Wilhelmina,  which  the  Admiral 
insisted  on  retaining ;  and  the  brig,  having  received  the 
Admiral's  despatches,  was  then  permitted  to  continue  her 
voyage. 

Perhaps  there  is  nothing  more  trying  to  the  seaman's 
feelings,  than  being  unexpectedly  forced  to  recommence 
another  series  of  trials,  at  the  very  time  when  they 
anticipate  repose  from  the  former;  yet,  how  often  does 
this  happen!  Philip  was  melancholy.  ** It  is  my  destiny," 
thought  he,  using  the  words  of  Amine,  "  and  why  should  I 
not  submit  ? "  Krantz  was  furious,  and  the  seamen  dis- 
contented and  mutinous — but  it  was  useless.  Might  is 
right  on  the  vast  ocean,  where  there  is  no  appeal — no  trial 
or  injunction  to  be  obtained. 

But  hard  as  their  case  appeared  to  them,  the  Admhal 
was  fully  justified  in  his  proceeding.  His  ships  were 
almost  unmanageable  with  the  few  hands  who  could  still 
perform  their  duty;  and  this  small  increase  of  physical 
power  might  be  the  means  of  saving  hundreds  who  lay 
helpless  in  their  hammocks.  In  his  own  vessel,  the  Lion, 
which  was  manned  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  when 


196  The  Phantom  Ship 

she  sailed  from  Amsterdam,  there  were  not  more  than 
seventy  capable  of  doing  duty ;  and  the  other  ships  had 
suffered  in  proportion. 

The  first  captain  of  the  Lion  was  dead,  the  second 
captain  in  his  hammock,  and  the  Admiral  had  no  one  to 
assist  him  but  the  mates  of  the  vessel,  some  of  whom 
crawled  up  to  their  duty  more  dead  than  alive.  The  ship 
of  the  second  in  command,  the  Dorty  was  even  in  a  more 
deplorable  plight.  The  Commodore  was  dead  ;  the  first 
captain  was  still  doing  his  duty ;  but  he  had  but  one  more 
officer  capable  of  remaining  on  deck. 

The  Admiral  sent  for  Philip  into  his  cabin,  and  having 
heard  his  narrative  of  the  loss  of  the  Vroiv  Katerina,  he 
ordered  him  to  go  on  board  of  the  Commodore's  ship  as 
captain,  giving  the  rank  of  Commodore  to  the  captain  at 
present  on  board  of  her  ;  Krantz  was  retained  on  board  his 
own  vessel,  as  second  captain ;  for,  by  Philip's  narrative, 
the  Admiral  perceived  at  once  that  they  were  both  good 
officers  and  brave  men. 


Chapter  XVIII 

The  fleet  under  Admiral  Rymelandt's  command  was 
ordered  to  proceed  to  the  East  Indies  by  the  western 
route,  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan  into  the  Pacific 
Ocean— it  being  still  imagined,  notwithstanding  previous 
failures,  that  this  route  offered  facilities  which  might 
shorten  the  passage  of  the  Spice  Islands. 

The  vessels  composing  the  fleet  were  the  Lion  of  forty- 
four  guns,  bearing  the  Admiral's  flag ;  the  Dort  of  thirty- 
six  guns,  with  the  Commodore's  pendant— ^to  which  Philip 
was  appointed  ;  the  Zuyder  Zee  of  twenty  ;  the  Tottng  Frau 
of  twelve,  and  a  ketch  of  four  guns,  called  the  Schevelling. 

The  crew  of  the  Vroiv  Katerina  were  divided  between 
the  two  larger  vessels ;  the  others,  being  smaller,  were 
easier   worked   with   fewer   hands.      Every  arrangement 


The  Phantom  Ship  197 

having  been  made,  the  boats  were  hoisted  up,  and  the  ships 
made  saih  For  ten  days  they  were  baffled  by  light  winds, 
and  the  victims  to  the  scurvy  increased  considerably  on 
board  of  Philip's  vessel.  Many  died  and  were  thrown 
overboard,  and  others  were  carried  down  to  their 
hammocks. 

The  newly-appointed  Commodore,  whose  name  was 
Avenhorn,  went  on  board  of  the  Admiral,  to  report  the 
state  of  the  vessel,  and  to  suggest,  as  Philip  had  proposed 
to  him,  that  they  should  make  the  coast  of  South  America, 
and  endeavour,  by  bribery  or  by  force,  to  obtain  supplies 
either  from  the  Spanish  inhabitants  or  the  natives.  But  to 
this  the  Admiral  would  not  listen.  He  was  an  imperious, 
bold,  and  obstinate  man,  not  to  be  persuaded  or  con- 
vinced, and  with  little  feeling  for  the  sufferings  of  others. 
Tenacious  of  being  advised,  he  immediately  rejected  a  pro- 
position which,  had  it  originated  with  himself,  would 
probably  have  been  immediately  acted  upon;  and  the 
Commodore  returned  on  board  his  vessel,  not  only  disap- 
pointed, but  irritated  by  the  language  used  towards 
him. 

**  What  are  we  to  do,  Captain  Vanderdecken  ?  you 
know  too  well  our  situation — it  is  impossible  we  can 
continue  long  at  sea  5  if  we  do,  the  vessel  will  be  drifting 
at  the  mercy  of  the  waves,  while  the  crew  die  a  wretched 
death  in  their  hammocks.  At  present,  we  have  forty  men 
left ;  in  ten  days  more  we  shall  probably  have  but  twenty; 
for  as  the  labour  becomes  more  severe,  so  do  they  drop 
down  the  faster.  Is  it  not  better  to  risk  our  lives  in 
combat  with  the  Spaniards,  than  die  here  like  rotten 
sheep  ?  " 

"I  perfectly  agree  with  you,  Commodore,"  replied 
Philip ;  "  but  still  we  must  obey  orders.  The  Admiral  is 
an  inflexible  man." 

"And  a  cruel  one.  I  have  a  great  mind  to  part 
company  in  the  night,  and,  if  he  finds  fault,  I  will  justify 
myself  to  the  directors  on  my  return." 

"Do   nothing  rashly — perhaps,  when   day  by  day  he 


198  The  Phantom  Ship 

finds  his  own  ship's  company  more  weakened,  he  will  see 
the  necessity  of  following  your  advice." 

A  week  had  passed  away  after  this  conversation,  and  the 
fleet  had  made  little  progress.  In  each  ship  the  ravages 
of  the  fatal  disease  became  more  serious,  and,  as  the 
Commodore  had  predicted,  he  had  but  twenty  men  really 
able  to  do  duty.  Nor  had  the  Admiral's  ship  and  the 
other  vessels  suffered  less.  The  Commodore  again  went 
on  board  to  reiterate  his  proposition. 

Admiral  Rymelandt  was  not  only  a  stern,  but  a 
vindictive  man.  He  was  aware  of  the  propriety  of  the 
suggestion  made  by  his  second  in  command,  but,  having 
refused  it,  he  would  not  acquiesce ;  and  he  felt  revengeful 
against  the  Commodore,  whose  counsel  he  must  now  either 
adopt,  or  by  refusing  it  be  prevented  from  taking  the  steps 
so  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  his  crew,  and  the 
success  of  his  voyage.  Too  proud  to  acknowledge 
himself  in  error,  again  did  he  decidedly  refuse,  and  the 
Commodore  went  back  to  his  own  ship.  The  fleet  was 
then  within  three  days  of  the  coast,  steering  to  the  south- 
ward for  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and  that  night,  after 
Philip  had  retired  to  his  cot,  the  Commodore  went  on  deck 
and  ordered  the  course  of  the  vessel  to  be  altered  some 
points  more  to  the  westward.  The  night  was  very  dark, 
and  the  Lion  was  the  only  ship  which  carried  a  poop- 
lantern,  so  that  the  parting  company  of  the  Dort  was  not 
perceived  by  the  Admiral  and  the  other  ships  of  the  fleet. 
When  Philip  went  on  deck  next  morning,  he  found  that 
their  consorts  were  not  in  sight.  He  looked  at  the 
compass,  and,  perceiving  that  the  course  was  altered, 
inquired  at  what  hour  and  by  whose  directions.  Finding 
that  it  was  by  his  superior  officer,  he  of  course  said 
nothing.  When  the  Commodore  came  on  deck,  he  stated 
to  Philip  that  he  felt  himself  warranted  in  not  complying 
with  the  Admiral's  orders,  as  it  would  have  been  sacrific- 
ing the  whole  ship's  company.     This  was,  indeed,  true. 

In  two  days  they  made  the  land,  and,  running  into  the 
shore,  perceived  a  large  town  and  Spaniards  on  the  beach* 


The  Phantom  Ship  199 

They  anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  hoisted 
English  colours,  when  a  boat  came  on  board  to  ask  them 
who  they  were  and  what  they  required  ?  The  Commodore 
replied  that  the  vessel  was  English,  for  he  knew  that  the 
hatred  of  the  Spanish  to  the  Dutch  was  so  great  that,  if 
known  to  belong  to  that  nation,  he  would  have  had  no 
chance  of  procuring  any  supplies,  except  by  force.  He 
stated  that  he  had  fallen  in  with  a  Spanish  vessel,  a  com- 
plete wreck,  from  the  whole  of  the  crew  being  afflicted 
with  the  scurvy ;  that  he  had  taken  the  men  out,  who  were 
now  in  their  hammocks  below,  as  he  considered  it  cruel  to 
leave  so.  many  of  his  fellow-creatures  to  perish,  and  that  he 
had  come  out  of  his  course  to  land  them  at  the  first  Spanish 
fort  he  could  reach.  He  requested  that  they  would  im- 
mediately send  on  board  vegetables  and  fresh  provisions 
for  the  sick  men,  whom  it  would  be  death  to  remove, 
until  after  a  few  days,  when  they  would  be  a  little 
restored  ;  and  added,  that  in  return  for  their  assisting  the 
Spaniards,  he  trusted  the  Governor  would  also  send 
supplies  for  his  own  people. 

This  well  made-up  story  was  confirmed  by  the  officer 
sent  on  board  by  the  Spanish  Governor.  Being  requested 
to  go  down  below  and  see  the  patients,  the  sight  of  so 
many  poor  fellows  in  the  last  stage  of  that .  horrid  disease 
— their  teeth  fallen  out,  gums  ulcerated,  bodies  full  of 
tumours  and  sores — was  quite  sufficient,  and,  hurrying 
up  from  the  lower  deck,  as  he  would  have  done  from  a 
charnel-house,  the  officer  hastened  on  shore  and  made  his 
report. 

In  two  hours  a  large  boat  was  sent  off  with  fresh  beef 
and  vegetables  sufficient  for  three  days*  supply  for  the 
ship's  company,  and  these  were  immediately  distributed 
among  the  men.  A  letter  of  thanks  was  returned  by  the 
Commodore,  stating  that  his  health  was  so  indifferent  as 
to  prevent  his  coming  on  shore  in  person  to  thank  the 
Governor,  and  forwarding  a  pretended  list  of  the  Spaniards 
on  board,  in  which  he  mentioned  some  officers  and  people 
of  distinction,  whom  he  imagined  might  be  connected  with 


200  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  family  of  the  Governor,  whose  name  and  titles  he  had 
received  from  the  messenger  sent  on  board  ;  for  the  Dutch 
knew  full  well  the  majority  of  the  noble  Spanish  families 
— indeed,  alliances  had  continually  taken  place  between 
them,  previous  to  their  assertion  of  their  independence. 
The  Commodore  concluded  his  letter  by  expressing  a  hope 
that,  in  a  day  or  two,  he  should  be  able  to  pay  his  respects 
and  make  arrangements  for  the  landing  of  the  sick,  as  he 
was  anxious  to  proceed  on  his  voyage  of  discovery. 

On  the  third  day,  a  fresh  supply  of  provisions  was  sent 
on  board,  and,  so  soon  as  they  were  received,  the  Com- 
modore, in  an  English  uniform,  went  on  shore  and  called 
upon  the  Governor,  gave  a  long  detail  of  the  sufferings  of 
the  people  he  had  rescued,  and  agreed  that  they  should  be 
sent  on  shore  in  two  days,  and  they  would,  by  that  time, 
be  well  enough  to  be  moved.  After  many  compliments, 
he  went  on  board,  the  Governor  having  stated  his  intention 
to  return  his  visit  on  the  following  day,  if  the  weather  were 
not  too  rough.  Fortunately,  the  weather  was  rough  for 
the  next  two  days,  and  it  was  not  until  the  third  that  the 
Governor  made  his  appearance.  This  was  precisely  what 
the  Commodore  wished. 

There  is  no  disease,  perhaps,  so  dreadful  or  so  rapid  in 
its  effects  upon  the  human  frame,  and  at  the  same  time  so 
instantaneously  checked,  as  the  scurvy,  if  the  remedy  can 
be  procured.  A  few  days  were  sufficient  to  restore  those, 
who  were  not  able  to  turn  in  their  hammocks,  to  their 
former  vigour.  In  the  course  of  the  six  days  nearly  all  the 
crew  of  the  Dort  were  convalescent  and  able  to  go  on  deck  *, 
but  still  they  were  not  cured.  The  Commodore  waited 
for  the  arrival  of  the  Governor,  received  him  with  all  due 
honours,  and  then,  so  soon  as  he  was  in  the  cabin,  told  him 
very  politely  that  he  and  all  his  officers  with  him  were 
prisoners.  That  the  vessel  was  a  Dutch  man-of-war,  and 
that  it  was  his  own  people,  and  not  Spaniards,  who  had  been 
dying  of  the  scurvy.  He  consoled  him,  however,  by  point- 
ing out  that  he  had  thought  it  preferable  to  obtain  provisions 
by  this  ruse,  than  to  sacrifice  lives  on  both  sides  by  taking 


The  Phantom  Ship  201 

them  by  force,  and  that  his  Excellency's  captivity  would  en- 
dure no  longer  than  until  he  had  received  on  board  a  sufficient 
number  of  live  bullocks  and  fresh  vegetables  to  insure  the 
recovery  of  the  ship's  company ;  and,  in  the  meantime,  not 
the  least  insult  would  be  offered  to  him.  "Whereupon  the 
Spanish  Governor  first  looked  at  the  Commodore  and  then 
at  the  file  of  armed  men  at  the  cabin  door,  and  then  to 
his  distance  from  the  town  5  and  then  called  to  mind  the 
possibility  of  his  being  taken  out  to  sea.  Weighing  all 
these  points  in  his  mind,  and  the  very  moderate  ransom 
demanded  (for  bullocks  were  not  worth  a  dollar  apiece  in 
that  country),  he  resolved,  as  he  could  not  help  himself, 
to  comply  with  the  Commodore's  terms.  He  called  for 
pen  and  ink,  and  wrote  an  order  to  send  on  board 
immediately  all  that  was  demanded.  Before  sunset  the 
bullocks  and  vegetables  were  brought  off,  and,  so  soon  as 
they  were  alongside,  the  Commodore,  with  many  bows 
and  many  thanks,  escorted  the  Governor  to  the  gangway, 
complimenting  him  with  a  salvo  of  great  guns,  as  he  had 
done  before,  on  his  arrival.  The  people  on  shore  thought 
that  his  Excellency  had  paid  a  long  visit,  but,  as  he  did 
not  like  to  acknowledge  that  he  had  been  deceived, 
nothing  was  said  about  it  at  least,  in  his  hearing,  although 
the  facts  were  soon  well  known.  As  soon  as  the  boats 
were  cleared,  the  Commodore  weighed  anchor  and  made 
sail,  well  satisfied  with  having  preserved  his  ship's 
company  j  and,  as  the  Falkland  Islands,  in  case  of  parting 
company,  had  been  named  as  the  rendezvous,  he  steered 
for  them.  In  a  fortnight  he  arrived,  and  found  that  his 
Admiral  was  not  yet  there.  His  crew  were  now  all 
recovered,  and  his  fresh  beef  was  not  yet  expended,  when 
he  perceived  the  Admiral  and  the  three  other  vessels  in 
the  offing. 

It  appeared  that  so  soon  as  the  Dort  had  parted  company, 
the  Admiral  had  immediately  acted  upon  the  advice  that 
the  Commodore  had  given  him,  and  had  run  for  the  coast. 
Not  being  so  fortunate  in  a  ruse  as  his  second  in  command, 
he  had  landed  an  armed  force  from  the  four  vessels,  and 


202  The  Phantom  Ship 

had  succeeded  in  obtaining  several  head  of  cattle,  at  the 
expense  of  an  equal  number  of  men  killed  and  wounded. 
But  at  the  same  time  they  had  collected  a  large  quantity 
of  vegetables  of  one  sort  or  another,  which  they  had  carried 
on  board  and  distributed  with  great  success  to  the  sick, 
who  were  gradually  recovering. 

Immediately  that  the  Admiral  had  anchored,  he  made 
the  signal  for  the  Commodore  to  repair  on  board,  and 
taxed  him  with  disobedience  of  orders  in  having  left  the 
fleet.  The  Commodore  did  not  deny  that  he  had  so  done, 
but  excused  himself  upon  the  plea  of  necessity,  offering  to 
lay  the  whole  matter  before  the  Court  of  Directors  so 
soon  as  they  returned ;  but  the  Admiral  was  vested  with 
most  extensive  powers,  not  only  of  the  trial,  but  the 
condemnation  and  punishment  of  any  person  guilty  of 
mutiny  and  insubordination  in  his  fleet.  In  reply,  he  told 
the  Commodore  that  he  was  a  prisoner,  and,  to  prove  it, 
he  confined  him  in  irons  under  the  half-deck. 

A  signal  was  then  made  for  all  the  captains :  they  went 
on  board,  and  of  course  Philip  was  of  the  number.  On 
their  arrival  the  Admiral  held  a  summary  court-martial, 
proving  to  them  by  his  instructions  that  he  was  so 
warranted  to  do.  The  result  of  the  court-martial  could 
be  but  one, — condemnation  for  a  breach  of  discipline,  to 
which  Philip  was  obliged  reluctantly  to  sign  his  name. 
The  Admiral  then  gave  Philip  the  appointment  of  second 
in  command,  and  the  Commodore's  pendant,  much  to  the 
annoyance  of  the  captains  commanding  the  other  vessels, 
— but  in  this  the  Admiral  proved  his  judgment,  as  there 
was  no  one  of  them  so  fit  for  the  task  as  Philip.  Having 
so  done,  he  dismissed  them.  Philip  would  have  spoken  to 
the  late  Commodore,  but  the  sentry  opposed  it,  as  against 
his  orders ;  and  with  a  friendly  nod,  Philip  was  obliged  to 
leave  him  without  the  desired  communication. 

The  fleet  remained  three  weeks  at  the  Falkland  Islands, 
to  recruit  the  ships'  companies.  Although  there  was  no 
fresh  beef,  there  was  plenty  of  scurvy-grass  and  penguins. 
These  birds  were  in  myriads  on  some  parts  of  the  island, 


The  Phantom  Ship  203 

which,  from  the  propinquity  of  their  nests,  built  of  mud, 
went  by  the  name  of  towns.  There  they  sat,  close 
together  (the  whole  area  which  they  covered  being  bare 
of  grass),  hatching  their  eggs  and  rearing  their  young. 
The  men  had  but  to  select  as  many  eggs  and  birds  as  they 
pleased,  and  so  numerous  were  they,  that,  when  they  had 
supplied  themselves,  there  was  no  apparent  diminution  of 
the  numbers.  This  food,  although  in  a  short  time  not 
very  palatable  to  the  seamen,  had  the  effect  of  restoring 
them  to  health,  and,  before  the  fleet  sailed,  there  was 
not  a  man  who  was  afflicted  with  the  scurvy.  In  the 
meantime  the  Commodore  remained  in  irons,  and  many 
were  the  conjectures  concerning  his  ultimate  fate.  The 
power  of  life  and  death  was  known  to  be  in  the  Admiral's 
hands,  but  no  one  thought  that  such  power  would  be 
exerted  upon  a  delinquent  of  so  high  a  grade.  The  other 
captains  kept  aloof  from  Philip,  and  he  knew  little  of 
what  was  the  general  idea.  Occasionally  when  on  board 
of  the  Admiral's  ship,  he  ventured  to  bring  up  the 
question,  but  was  immediately  silenced  ;  and  feeling  that 
he  might  injure  the  late  Commodore  (for  whom  he  had 
a  regard),  he  would  risk  nothing  by  importunity;  and 
the  fleet  sailed  for  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  without 
anybody  being  aware  of  what  mi^ht  be  the  result  of  the 
court-martial. 

It  was  about  a  fortnight  after  they  had  left  the  Falkland 
Islands,  that  they  entered  the  Straits.  At  first  they  had  a 
leading  wind  which  carried  them  half  through,  but  this  did 
not  last,  and  they  then  had  to  contend  not  only  against  the 
wind,  but  against  the  current,  and  they  daily  lost  ground. 
The  crews  of  the  ships  also  began  to  sicken  from  fatigue 
and  cold.  Whether  the  Admiral  had  before  made  up  his 
mind,  or  whether,  irritated  by  his  fruitless  endeavours  to 
continue  his  voyage,  it  is  impossible  to  say ;  but,  after 
three  weeks'  useless  struggle  against  the  wind  and  currents, 
he  hove-to  and  ordered  all  the  captains  on  board,  when  he 
proposed  that  the  prisoner  should  receive  his  punishment — 
and  that  punishment  was — to  be  deserted — that  is,  to  be  sent 


204  The  Phantom  Ship 

on  shore  with  a  day's  food,  where  there  was  no  means  of 
obtaining  support,  so  as  to  die  miserably  of  hunger.  This 
was  a  punishment  frequently  resorted  to  by  the  Dutch  at 
that  period,  as  will  be  seen  by  reading  an  account  of  their 
voyages  :  but,  at  the  same  time,  seldom,  if  ever,  awarded 
to  one  of  so  high  a  rank  as  that  of  Commodore. 

Philip  immediately  protested  against  it,  and  so  did 
Krantz,  although  they  were  both  aware,  that  by  so  doing 
they  would  make  the  Admiral  their  enemy ;  but  the  other 
captains,  who  viewed  both  of  them  with  a  jealous  eye,  and 
considered  them  as  interlopers  and  interfering  with  their 
advancement,  sided  with  the  Admiral.  Notwithstanding 
this  majority,  Philip  thought  it  his  duty  to  expostulate. 

**  You  know  well.  Admiral,"  said  he,  **  that  I  joined  in 
his  condemnation  for  a  breach  of  discipline  :  but,  at  the 
same  time,  there  was  much  in  extenuation.  He  committed 
a  breach  of  discipline  to  save  his  ship's  company,  but  not 
an  error  in  judgment,  as  you  yourself  proved,  by  taking 
the  same  measure  to  save  your  own  men.  Do  not,  there- 
fore, visit  an  offence  of  so  doubtful  a  nature  with  such 
cruelty.  Let  the  Company  decide  the  point  when  you  send 
him  home,  which  you  can  do  so  soon  as  you  arrive  in  India. 
He  is  sufficiently  punished  by  losing  his  command :  to  do 
what  you  propose  will  be  ascribed  to  feelings  of  revenge 
more  than  to  those  of  justice.  What  success  can  we 
deserve  if  we  commit  an  act  of  such  cruelty ;  and  how  can 
we  expect  a  merciful  Providence  to  protect  us  from  the 
winds  and  waves  when  we  are  thus  barbarous  towards  each 
other?" 

Philip's  arguments  were  of  no  avail.  The  Admiral 
ordered  him  to  return  on  board  his  ship,  and  had  he  been 
able  to  find  an  excuse,  he  would  have  deprived  him  of  his 
command.  This  he  could  not  well  do  5  but  Philip  was 
aware  that  the  Admiral  was  now  his  inveterate  enemy. 
The  Commodore  was  taken  out  of  irons  and  brought  into 
the  cabin,  and  his  sentence  was  made  known  to  him. 

"  Be  it  so,  Admiral,"  replied  Avenhorn ;  "  for,  to  attempt 
to  turn  you  from  your  purpose,  I  know  would  be  un- 


The  Phantom  Ship  205 

availing.  I  am  not  punished  for  disobedience  of  orders, 
but  for  having,  by  my  disobedience,  pointed  out  to  you 
your  duty — a  duty  which  you  were  forced  to  perform 
afterwards  by  necessity.  Then  be  it  so ;  let  me  perish  on 
these  black  rocks,  as  I  shall,  and  my  bones  be  whitened 
by  the  chilly  blasts  which  howl  over  their  desolation.  But 
mark  me,  cruel  and  vindictive  man !  I  shall  not  be  the  only 
one  whose  bones  will  bleach  there.  I  prophesy  that  many 
others  will  share  my  fate,  and  even  you.  Admiral,  may  be 
of  the  number,—if  I  mistake  not,  we  shall  lie  side  by  side.'^ 

The  Admiral  made  no  reply, .  but  gave  a  sign  for  the 
prisoner  to  be  removed.  He  then  had  a  conference  with 
the  captains  of  the  three  smaller  vessels  ;  and,  as  they  had 
been  all  along  retarded  by  the  heavier  sailing  of  his  own 
ship  and  the  Dort  commanded  by  Philip,  he  decided  that 
they  should  part  company,  and  proceed  on  as  fast  as  they 
could  to  the  Indies^— sending  on  board  of  the  two  larger 
vessels  all  the  provisions  they  could  spare,  as  they  already 
began  to  run  short. 

Philip  had  left  the  cabin  with  Krantz  after  the  prisoner 
had  been  removed.  He  then  wrote  a  few  lines  upon  a  slip 
of  paper—**  Do  not  leave  the  beach  when  you  are  put  on 
shore,  until  the  vessels  are  out  of  sight ; "  and,  requesting 
Krantz  to  find  an  opportunity  to  deliver  this  to  the 
Commodore,  he  returned  on  board  of  his  own  ship. 

When  the  crew  of  the  Dort  heard  of  the  punishment 
about  to  be  inflicted  upon  their  old  Commander,  they  were 
much  excited.  They  felt  that  he  had  sacrificed  himself  to 
save  them,  and  they  murmured  much  at  the  cruelty  of  the 
Admiral. 

About  an  hour  after  Philip's  return  to  his  ship,  the 
prisoner  was  sent  oft  shore  and  landed  on  the  desolate  and 
rocky  coast,  with  a  supply  of  provisions  for  two  days. 
Not  a  single  article  of  extra  clothing,  or  the  means  of 
striking  a  light  was  permitted  him.  When  the  boat's  keel 
grazed  the  beach,  he  was  ordered  out.  The  boat  shoved 
off,  and  the  men  were  not  permitted  even  to  bid  him 
farewell. 


2o6  The  Phantom  Ship 

The  fleet,  as  Philip  expected,  remained  hove-to,  shifting 
the  provisions,  and  it  was  not  till  after  dark  that  everything 
was  arranged.  This  opportunity  was  not  lost.  Philip  was 
aware  that  it  would  be  considered  a  breach  of  discipline, 
but  to  that  he  was  indifferent ;  neither  did  he  think  it 
likely  that  it  would  come  to  the  ears  of  the  Admiral,  as  the 
crew  of  the  Dort  were  partial  both  to  the  Commodore  and 
to  him.  He  had  desired  a  seaman  whom  he  could  trust,  to 
put  into  one  of  the  boats  a  couple  of  muskets  and  a  quantity 
of  ammunition,  several  blankets,  and  various  other  articles, 
besides  provisions  for  two  or  three  months  for  one  person, 
and,  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  the  men  pulled  on  shore  with 
the  boat,  found  the  Commodore  on  the  beach  waiting  for 
them,  and  supplied  him  with  all  these  necessaries.  They 
then  rejoined  their  ship,  without  the  Admiral's  having  the 
least  suspicion  of  what  had  been  done,  and  shortly  after  the 
fleet  made  sail  on  a  wind,  with  their  heads  off  shore.  The 
next  morning,  the  three  smaller  vessels  parted  company, 
and  by  sunset  had  gained  many  miles  to  windward,  after 
which  they  were  not  again  seen. 

The  Admiral  had  sent  for  Philip  to  give  him  his  instruc- 
tions, which  were  very  severe,  and  evidently  framed  so  as 
to  be  able  to  afford  him  hereafter  some  excuse  for  depriving 
him  of  his  command.  Among  others,  his  orders  were,  as 
the  Dort  drew  much  less  water  than  the  Admiral's  ship, 
to  sail  ahead  of  him  during  the  night,  that,  if  they 
approached  too  near  the  land  as  they  beat  across  the 
Channel,  timely  notice  might  be  given  to  the  Admiral,  if 
in  too  shallow  water.  This  responsibility  was  the  occasion 
of  Philip's  being  always  on  deck  when  they  approached 
the  land  of  either  side  of  the  Straits.  It  was  the  second 
night  after  the  fleet  had  separated  that  Philip  had  been 
summoned  on  deck  as  they  were  nearing  the  land  of  Terra 
del  Fuego ;  he  was  watching  the  man  in  the  chains  heaving 
the  lead,  when  the  officer  of  the  watch  reported  to  him  that 
the  Admiral's  ship  was  ahead  of  them  instead  of  astern. 
Philip  made  enquiry  as  to  when  he  passed,  but  could  not 
discover ;  he  went  forward,  and  saw  the  Admiral's  ship 


The  Phantom  Ship  207 

with  her  poop-light,  which,  when  the  Admiral  was  astern, 
was  not  visible.  "  What  can  be  the  Admiral's  reason  for 
this  ?  "  thought  Philip  5  "  has  he  run  ahead  on  purpose  to 
make  a  charge  against  me  of  neglect  of  duty  ?  it  must 
be  so.  "Well,  let  him  do  as  he  pleases  j  he  must  wait  now 
till  we  arrive  in  India,  for  I  shall  not  allow  him  to  desert 
me  J  and,  with  the  Company,  I  have  as  much,  and  I  rather 
think,  as  a  large  proprietor,  more  interest  than  he  has. 
Well,  as  he  has  thought  proper  to  go  ahead,  I  have  nothing 
to  do  but  follow.  *  You  may  come  out  of  the  chains 
there.'" 

Philip  went  forward :  they  were  now,  as  he  imagined,  very 
near  to  the  land,  but  the  night  was  dark  and  they  could 
not  distinguish  it.  For  half  an  hour  they  continued  their 
course,  much  to  Philip's  surprise,  for  he  now  thought  he 
could  make  out  the  loom  of  the  land,  dark  as  it  was.  His 
eyes  were  constantly  fixed  upon  the  ship  ahead,  expecting 
every  minute  that  she  would  go  about ;  but  no,  she  con- 
tinued her  course,  and  Philip  followed  with  his  own 
vessel. 

"  We  are  very  close  to  the  land,  sir,"  observed  Vander 
Hagen,  the  lieutenant,  who  was  the  officer  of  the  watch. 

"So  it  appears  to  me  :  but  the  Admiral  is  closer,  and 
draws  much  more  water  than  we  do,"  replied  Philip. 

**  I  think  I  see  the  rocks  on  the  beam  to  leeward,  sir." 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,"  replied  Philip  :  **  I  cannot 
understand  this.  Ready  about,  and  get  a  gun  ready — 
they  must  suppose  us  to  be  ahead  of  them,  depend  upon 
it." 

Hardly  had  Philip  given  the  order,  when  the  vessel 
struck  heavily  on  the  rocks.  Philip  hastened  aft;  he 
found  that  the  rudder  had  been  unshipped,  and  the  vessel 
was  immovably  fixed.  His  thoughts  then  reverted  to  the 
Admiral.  **  Was  he  on  shore  ? "  He  ran  forward,  and 
the  Admiral  was  still  sailing  on,  with  his  poop-light,  about 
two  cables'  length  ahead  of  him. 

"  Fire  the  gun,  there,"  cried  Philip,  perplexed  beyond 
measure. 


2o8  The  Phantom  Ship 

The  gun  was  fired,  and  immediately  followed  up  by  the 
flash  and  report  of  another  gun  close  astern  of  them.  Philip 
looked  with  astonishment  over  the  quarter  and  perceived 
the  Admiral's  ship  close  astern  to  him,  and  evidently  on 
shore  as  well  as  his  own. 

"  Merciful  Heaven  !  "  exclaimed  Philip,  rushing  forward, 
**  what  can  this  be  ? "  He  beheld  the  other  vessel  with 
her  light  ahead,  still  sailing  on  and  leaving  them.  The 
day  was  now  dawning,  and  there  was  sufficient  light  ta 
make  out  the  land.  The  Dort  was  on  shore  not  fifty 
yards  from  the  beach,  and  surrounded  by  the  high  and 
barren  rocks ;  yet  the  vessel  ahead  was  apparently  sailing 
on  over  the  land.  The  seamen  crowded  on  the  forecastle 
watching  this  strange  phenomenon  j  at  last  it  vanished 
from  their  sight. 

**  That's  the  Flying  Dutchman ,  by  all  that's  holy  !  "  cried 
one  of  the  seamen,  jumping  off  the  gun. 

Hardly  had  the  man  uttered  these  words  when  the 
vessel  disappeared. 

Philip  felt  convinced  that  it  was  so,  and  he  walked  away 
aft  in  a  very  perturbed  state.  It  must  have  been  his 
father's  fatal  ship  which  had  decoyed  them  to  probable 
destruction.  He  hardly  knew  how  to  act.  The  Admiral's 
wrath  he  did  not  wish,  just  at  that  moment,  to  encounter. 
He  sent  for  the  officer  of  the  watch,  and,  having  desired 
him  to  select  a  crew  for  the  boat,  out  of  those  men  who 
had  been  on  deck,  and  could  substantiate  his  assertions, 
ordered  him  to  go  on  board  of  the  Admiral  and  state 
what  had  happened. 

As  soon  as  the  boat  had  shoved  off,  Philip  turned  his 
attention  to  the  state  of  his  own  vessel.  The  daylight 
had  increased,  and  Philip  perceived  that  they  were  sur- 
rounded by  rocks,  and  had  run  on  shore  between  two 
reefs,  which  extended  half  a  mile  from  the  mainland. 
He  sounded  round  his  vessel,  and  discovered  that  she 
was  fixed  from  forward  to  aft,  and  that,  without  lightening 
her,  there  was  no  chance  of  getting  her  off.  He  then 
turned   to  where   the    Admiral's   ship   lay   aground,   and 


The  Phantom  Ship  209 

found  that,  to  all  appearance,  she  was  in  even  a  worse 
phght,  as  the  rocks  to  leeward  of  her  were  above  the 
water,  and  she  was  much  more  exposed,  should  bad 
weather  come  on.  Never,  perhaps,  was  there  a  scene 
more  cheerless  and  appalling :  a  dark  wintry  sky — a  sky 
loaded  with  heavy  clouds — the  wind  cold  and  piercing — 
the  whole  line  of  the  coast  one  mass  of  barren  rocks, 
without  the  slightest  appearance  of  vegetation ;  the  inland 
part  of  the  country  presented  an  equally  sombre  appear- 
ance, and  the  higher  points  were  capped  with  snow, 
although  it  was  not  yet  the  winter  season.  Sweeping 
the  coast  with  his  eye,  Philip  perceived,  not  four  miles 
to  leeward  of  them  (so  little  progress  had  they  made), 
the  spot  where  they  had  deserted  the  Commodore. 

"  Surely  this  has  been  a  judgment  on  him  for  his 
cruelty,"  thought  Philip,  "  and  the  prophecy  of  poor 
Avenhorn  will  come  true — more  bones  than  his  will 
bleach  on  those  rocks."  Philip  turned  round  again  to 
where  the  Admiral's  ship  was  on  shore,  and  started  back, 
as  he  beheld  a  sight  even  more  dreadful  than  all  that 
he  had  viewed — the  body  of  Vander  Hagen,  the  officer 
sent  on  board  of  the  Admiral,  hanging  at  the  main-yard- 
arm.  "  My  God  !  is  it  possible  ? "  exclaimed  Philip, 
stamping  with  sorrow  and  indignation. 

His  boat  was  returning  on  board,  and  Philip  awaited 
it  with  impatience.  The  men  hastened  up  the  side,  and 
breathlessly  informed  Philip  that  the  Admiral,  as  soon  as 
he  had  heard  the  Lieutenant's  report,  and  his  acknow- 
ledgment that  he  was  officer  of  the  watch,  had  ordered 
him  to  be  hung,  and  that  he  had  sent  them  back  with  a 
summons  for  him  to  repair  on  board  immediately,  and 
that  they  had  seen  another  rope  preparing  at  the  other 
yard-arm. 

"  But  not  for  you,  sir,"  cried  the  men ;  *'  that  shall 
never  be — you  shall  not  go  on  board — and  we  will  defend 
you  with  our  lives." 

The  whole  ship's  company  joined  in  this  resolution,  and 
expressed  their  determination  to  resist  the  Admiral.    Philip 
p.s.  o 


•210  The  Phantom  Ship 

thanked  them  kindly — stated  his  intention  of  not  going  on 
board,  and  requested  that  they  would  remain  quiet,  until 
it  was  ascertained  what  steps  the  Admiral  might  take. 
He  then  went  down  to  his  cabin,  to  reflect  upon  what 
plan  he  should  pursue.  As  he  looked  out  of  the  stern- 
windows,  and  perceived  the  body  of  the  young  man  still 
swinging  in  the  wind,  he  almost  wished  that  he  was  in 
his  place,  for  then  there  would  be  an  end  to  his  wayward 
fate :  but  he  thought  of  Amine,  and  felt  that,  for  her, 
he  wished  to  live.  That  the  Phantom  Ship  should  have 
decoyed  him  to  destruction  was  also  a  source  of  much 
painful  feeling,  and  Philip  meditated,  with  his  hands 
pressed  to  his  temples.  "It  is  my  destiny,"  thought 
he  at  last,  "  and  the  will  of  Heaven  must  be  done :  we 
could  not  have  been  so  deceived  if  Heaven  had  not 
permitted  it."  And  then  his  thoughts  reverted  to  his 
present  situation. 

That  the  Admiral  had  exceeded  his  powers  in  taking 
the  life  of  the  officer  was  undeniable,  as,  although  his 
instructions  gave  him  power  of  life  and  death,  still  it  was 
only  to  be  decided  by  the  sentence  of  the  court-martial 
held  by  the  captains  commanding  the  vessels  of  the  fleet ; 
he  therefore  felt  himself  justified  in  resistance.  But  Philip 
was  troubled  with  the  idea  that  such  resistance  might 
lead  to  much  bloodshed ;  and  he  was  still  debating  how 
to  act,  when  they  reported  to  him  that  there  was  a  boat 
coming  from  the  Admiral's  ship.  Philip  went  upon  deck 
to  receive  the  officer,  who  stated  that  it  was  the  Admiral's 
order  that  he  should  immediately  come  on  board,  and 
that  he  must  consider  himself  now  under  arrest,  and 
deliver  up  his  sword. 

"No  !  no  !  "  exclaimed  the  ship's  company  of  the  Dort, 
"  He  shall  not  go  on  board.  We  will  stand  by  our 
Captain  to  the  last." 

"  Silence,  men  !  silence  !  "  cried  Philip.  "  You  must 
be  aware,  sir,"  said  he  to  the  officer,  "  that  in  the  cruel 
punishment  of  that  innocent  young  man,  the  Admiral  has 
exceeded  his  powers  :  and,  much  as  I  regret  to  see  any 


The  Phantom  Ship  211 

symptoms  of  mutiny  and  insubordination,  it  must  be  re- 
membered that,  if  those  in  command  disobey  the  orders 
they  have  received,  by  exceeding  them,  they  not  only 
set  the  example,  but  give  an  excuse  for  those  who 
otherwise  would  be  bound  to  obey  them,  to  do  the 
same.  Tell  the  Admiral  that  his  murder  of  that  innocent 
man  has  determined  me  no  longer  to  consider  myself 
under  his  authority,  and  that  I  will  hold  myself,  as  well 
as  him,  answerable  to  the  Company  whom  we  serve,  for 
our  conduct.  I  do  not  intend  to  go  on  board  and  put 
myself  in  his  power,  that  he  might  gratify  his  resentment 
by  my  ignominious  death.  It  is  a  duty  that  I  owe 
these  men  under  my  command  to  preserve  my  life,  that 
I  may,  if  possible,  preserve  theirs  in  this  strait ;  and  you 
may  also  add,  that  a  little  reflection  must  point  out  to 
him  that  this  is  no  time  for  us  to  war  with,  but  to  assist 
each  other  with  all  our  energies.  We  are  here,  ship- 
wrecked on  a  barren  coast,  with  provisions  insufficient 
for  any  lengthened  stay,  no  prospect  of  succour,  and 
little  of  escape.  As  the  Commodore  truly  prophesied, 
many  more  are  likely  to  perish  as  well  as  him — and  even 
the  Admiral  himself  may  be  of  the  number.  I  shall  wait 
his  answer  •,  if  he  choose  to  lay  aside  all  animosity,  and 
refer  our  conduct  to  a  higher  tribunal,  I  am  willing  to 
join  with  him  in  rendering  that  assistance  to  each  other 
which  our  situation  requires — if  not,  you  must  perceive, 
and  of  course  will  tell  him,  that  I  have  those  with  me 
who  will  defend  me  against  any  attempt  at  force.  You 
have  my  answer,  sir,  and  may  go  on  board." 

The  officer  went  to  the  gangway,  but  found  that  none 
of  his  crew,  except  the  bowman,  were  in  the  boat ;  they 
had  gone  up  to  gain  from  the  men  of  the  Dort  the  true 
history  of  what  they  had  but  imperfectly  heard  :  and, 
before  they  were  summoned  to  return,  had  received  full 
intelligence.  They  coincided  with  the  seamen  of  the 
Dorty  that  the  appearance  of  the  Phantom  Ship,  which 
had  occasioned  their  present  disaster,  was  a  judgment 
upon  the  Admiral,  for  his  conduct  in  having  so  cruelly 
deserted  the  poor  Commodore. 


212  The  Phantom  Ship 

Upon  the  return  of  the  officer  with  Philip's  answer, 
the  rage  of  the  Admiral  was  beyond  all  bounds.  He 
ordered  the  guns  aft,  which  would  bear  upon  the  Dorty 
to  be  double-shotted,  and  fired  into  her ;  but  Krantz 
pointed  out  to  him  that  they  could  not  bring  more  guns 
to  bear  upon  the  Dorty  in  their  present  situation,  than 
the  Dort  could  bring  to  bear  upon  them;  that  their 
superior  force  was  thus  neutralised,  and  that  no  advantage 
could  result  from  taking  such  a  step.  The  Admiral  im- 
mediately put  Krantz  under  arrest,  and  proceeded  to  put 
into  execution  his  insane  intentions.  In  this  he  was,  how- 
ever, prevented  by  the  seamen  of  the  Lion,  who  neither 
wished  to  fire  upon  their  consort,  nor  to  be  fired  at  in 
return.  The  report  of  the  boat's  crew  had  been  circulated 
through  the  ship,  and  the  men  felt  too  much  ill-will 
against  the  Admiral,  and  perceived  at  the  same  time 
the  extreme  difficulty  of  their  situation,  to  wish  to  make 
it  worse.  They  did  not  proceed  to  open  mutiny,  but 
they  went  down  below,  and  when  the  officers  ordered 
them  up,  they  refused  to  go  upon  deck  ;  and  the  officers, 
who  were  equally  disgusted  with  the  Admiral's  conduct, 
merely  informed  him  of  the  state  of  the  ship's  company, 
without  naming  individuals,  so  as  to  excite  his  resentment 
against  any  one  in  particular.  Such  was  the  state  of 
affairs  when  the  sun  went  down.  Nothing  had  been 
done  on  board  the  Admiral's  ship,  for  Krantz  was  under 
arrest,  and  the  Admiral  had  retired  in  a  state  of  fury 
to  his  cabin. 

In  the  meantime  Philip  and  the  ship's  company  had 
not  been  idle — they  had  laid  an  anchor  out  astern,  and 
hove  taut :  they  had  started  all  the  water,  and  were 
pumping  it  out,  when  a  boat  pulled  alongside,  and  Krantz 
made  his  appearance  on  deck. 

**  Captain  Vanderdecken,  I  have  come  to  put  myself 
under  your  orders,  if  you  will  receive  me — if  not,  render 
me  your  protection ;  for,  as  sure  as  fate,  I  should  have 
been  hanged  to-morrow  morning,  if  I  had  remained  in  my 
own  ship.     The  men   in  the   boat  have    come  with   the 


The  Phantom  Ship  213 

same  intention — that  of  joining  you,  if  you  will  permit 
them." 

Although  Philip  would  have  wished  it  had  been  other- 
wise, he  could  not  well  refuse  to  receive  Krantz,  under 
the  circumstances  of  the  case.  He  was  very  partial  to 
him,  and  to  save  his  life,  which  certainly  was  in  danger, 
he  would  have  done  much  more.  He  desired  that  the 
boat's  crew  should  return ;  but  when  Krantz  had  stated 
to  him  what  had  occurred  on  board  the  Lion,  and  the  crew 
earnestly  begged  him  not  to  send  them  back  to  almost 
certain  death,  which  their  having  effected  the  escape 
of  Krantz  would  have  assured,  Philip  reluctantly  allowed 
them  to  remain. 

The  night  was  tempestuous,  but  the  wind  being  now 
off  shore,  the  water  was  not  rough.  The  crew  of  the 
Dort,  under  the  directions  of  Philip  and  Krantz,  succeeded 
in  lightening  the  vessel  so  much  during  the  night  that  the 
next  morning  they  were  able  to  haul  her  off,  and  found 
that  her  bottom  had  received  no  serious  injury.  It  was 
fortunate  for  them  that  they  had  not  discontinued  their 
exertions,  for  the  wind  shifted  a  few  hours  before  sunrise, 
and  by  the  time  that  they  had  shipped  their  rudder,  it  came 
on  to  blow  fresh  down  the  Straits,  the  wind  being 
accompanied  with  a  heavy  swell. 

The  Admiral's  ship  still  lay  aground,  and  apparently  no 
exertions  were  used  to  get  her  off.  Philip  was  much 
puzzled  how  to  act :  leave  the  crew  of  the  Lion  he  could 
not ;  nor  indeed  could  he  refuse,  or  did  he  wish  to  refuse 
the  Admiral,  if  he  proposed  coming  on  board  ;  but  he  now 
made  up  his  mind  that  it  should  only  be  as  a  passenger, 
and  that  he  would  himself  retain  the  command.  At 
present  he  contented  himself  with  dropping  his  anchor 
outside,  clear  of  the  reef,  where  he  was  sheltered  by  a 
bluff  cape,  under  which  the  water  was  smooth,  about 
a  mile  distant  from  where  the  Admiral's  ship  lay  on  shore ; 
and  he  employed  his  crew  in  replenishing  his  water-casks 
from  a  rivulet  close  to  where  the  ship  was  anchored.  He 
waited  to  see  if  the  other  vessel  got  off,  being  convinced 


•214  '^^^  Phantom  Ship 

that  if  she  did  not  some  communicatioa  must  soon  take 
place.  As  soon  as  the  water  was  complete,  he  sent  one  of 
the  boats  to  the  place  where  the  Commodore  had  been 
landed,  having  resolved  to  take  him  on  board,  if  they  could 
find  him ;  but  the  boat  returned  without  having  seen 
anything  of  him,  although  the  men  had  clambered  over 
the  hills  to  a  considerable  distance. 

On  the  second  morning  after  Philip  had  hauled  his 
vessel  off,  they  observed  that  the  boats  of  the  Admiral's 
ship  were  passing  and  repassing  from  the  shore,  landing 
her  stores  and  provisions ;  and  the  next  day,  from  the 
tents  pitched  on  shore,  it  was  evident  that  she  was 
abandoned,  although  the  boats  were  still  employed  in 
taking  articles  out  of  her.  That  night  it  blew  fresh, 
and  the  sea  was  heavy ;  the  next  morning  her  masts  were 
gone,  and  she  turned  on  her  broadside ;  she  was  evidently 
a  wreck,  and  Philip  now  consulted  with  Krantz  how  to 
act.  To  leave  the  crew  of  the  Lion  on  shore  was 
impossible :  they  must  all  perish  when  the  winter  set  in 
upon  such  a  desolate  coast.  On  the  whole,  it  was  con- 
sidered advisable  that  the  first  communication  should  come 
from  the  other  party,  and  Philip  resolved  to  remain  quietly 
at  anchor. 

It  was  very  plain  that  there  was  no  longer  any  sub- 
ordination among  the  crew  of  the  Lion^  who  were  to 
be  seen,  in  the  day-time,  climbing  over  the  rocks  in  every 
direction,  and  at  night,  when  their  large  fires  were  lighted, 
carousing  and  drinking.  This  waste  of  provisions  was  a 
subject  of  much  vexation  to  Philip.  He  had  not  more 
than  sufficient  for  his  own  crew,  and  he  took  it  for  granted 
that,  so  soon  as  what  they  had  taken  on  shore  should 
be  expended,  the  crew  of  the  Lion  would  ask  to  be 
received  on  board  of  the  Dort, 

For  more  than  a  week  did  affairs  continue  in  this  state, 
when,  one  morning,  a  boat  was  seen  pulling  towards  the 
ship,  and,  in  the  stern-sheets  Philip  recognised  the  officer 
who  had  been  sent  on  board  to  put  him  under  arrest.  When 
the  officer  came  on  deck,  he  took  off  his  hat  to  Philip. 


The  Phantom  Ship  215 

"  You  do,  then,  acknowledge  me  as  in  command," 
observed  Philip. 

"  Yes,  sir,  most  certainly ;  you  were  second  in 
command,  but  now  you  are  first — for  the  Admiral  is  dead." 

"  Dead  !  "  exclaimed  Philip  ;  "and  how  ?  " 

**  He  was  found  dead  on  the  beach,  under  a  high  clifF, 
and  the  body  of  the  Commodore  was  in  his  arms ;  indeed, 
they  were  both  grappled  together.  It  is  supposed,  that 
in  his  walk  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  which  he  used  to 
take  every  day,  to  see  if  any  vessels  might  be  in  the 
Straits,  he  fell  in  with  the  Commodore — that  they  had 
come  to  contention,  and  had  both  fallen  over  the  precipice 
together.  No  one  saw  the  meeting,  but  they  must  have 
fallen  over  the  rocks,  as  the  bodies  are  dreadfully 
mangled." 

On  inquiry,  Philip  ascertained  that  all  chance  of  saving 
the  Lion  had  been  lost  after  the  second  night,  when  she 
had  beat  in  her  larboard  streak,  and  had  six  feet  of  water 
in  the  hold — that  the  crew  had  been  very  insubordinate, 
and  had  consumed  almost  all  the  spirits ;  and  that  not 
only  all  the  sick  had  already  perished,  but  also  many 
others  who  had  either  fallen  over  the  rocks  when  they 
were  intoxicated,  or  had  been  found  dead  in  the  morning, 
from  their  exposure  during  the  night. 

"  Then  the  poor  Commodore's  prophecy  has  been  ful- 
filled !  "  observed  Philip  to  Krantz.  "  Many  others,  and 
even  the  Admiral  himself,  have  perished  with  him — peace 
be  with  them !  And  now  let  us  get  away  from  this 
horrible  place  as  soon  as  possible." 

Philip  then  gave  orders  to  the  officer  to  collect  his 
men,  and  the  provisions  that  remained,  for  immediate 
embarkation.  Krantz  followed  soon  after  with  all  the 
boats,  and  before  night  everything  was  on  board.  The 
bodies  of  the  Admiral  and  Commodore  were  buried  where 
they  lay,  and  the  next  morning  the  Dort  was  under  weigh, 
and,  with  a  slanting  wind,  was  laying  a  fair  course  through 
the  Straits. 


2i6  The  Phantom  Ship 


Chapter  XIX 

It  appeared  as  if  their  misfortunes  were  to  cease,  after 
the  tragical  death  of  the  two  commanders.  In  a  few 
days,  the  Dort  had  passed  through  the  Straits  of 
Magellan,  and  was  sailing  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  with  a 
blue  sky  and  quiet  sea.  The  ship's  company  recovered 
their  health  and  spirits,  and  the  vessel  being  now  well 
manned,  the  duty  was  carried  on  with  cheerfulness. 

In  about  a  fortnight,  they  had  gained  well  up  on  the 
Spanish  coast,  but  although  they  had  seen  many  of  the 
inhabitants  on  the  beach,  they  had  not  fallen  in  with 
any  vessels  belonging  to  the  Spaniards.  Aware  that  if 
he  met  with  a  Spanish  ship  of  superior  force  it  would 
attack  him,  Philip  had  made  every  preparation,  and  had 
trained  his  men  to  the  guns.  He  had  now,  with  the 
joint  crews  of  the  vessels,  a  well-manned  ship,  and  the 
anticipation  of  prize-money  had  made  his  men  very  eager 
to  fall  in  with  some  Spaniard,  which  they  knew  that 
Philip  would  capture  if  he  could.  Light  winds  and  calms 
detained  them  for  a  month  on  the  coast,  when  Philip 
determined  upon  running  for  the  Isle  St  Marie,  where, 
though  he  knew  it  was  in  possession  of  the  Spaniards, 
he  yet  hoped  to  be  able  to  procure  refreshments  for  the 
ship's  company,  either  by  fair  means  or  by  force.  The 
Dort  was,  by  their  reckoning,  about  thirty  miles  from 
the  island,  and  having  run  in  until  after  dark,  they  had 
hove-to  till  the  next  morning.  Krantz  was  on  deck; 
he  leant  over  the  side,  and  as  the  sails  flapped  to  the 
masts,  he  attempted  to  define  the  line  of  the  horizon. 
It  was  very  dark,  but  as  he  watched,  he  thought  that  he 
perceived  a  light  for  a  moment,  and  which  then  dis- 
appeared. Fixing  his  eyes  on  the  spot,  he  soon  made 
out  a  vessel,  hove-to,  and  not  two  cables'  length  distant. 
He  hastened  down  to  apprise  Philip,  and  procure  a  glass. 
By  the  time  Philip  was   on   deck,  the  vessel   had  been 


The  Phantom  Ship  217 

distinctly  made  out  to  be  a  three-masted  xebeque,  very 
low  in  the  water.  After  a  short  consultation,  it  was 
agreed  that  the  boats  on  the  quarter  should  be  lowered 
down,  and  manned  and  armed  without  noise,  and  that 
they  should  steal  gently  alongside  and  surprise  her.  The 
men  were  called  up,  silence  enjoined,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  boats'  crew  had  possession  of  the  vessel ; 
having  boarded  her  and  secured  the  hatches  before  the 
alarm  could  be  given  by  the  few  who  were  on  deck. 
More  men  were  then  taken  on  board  by  Krantz,  who, 
as  agreed  upon,  lay  to  under  the  lee  of  the  Dort  until 
the  daylight  made  its  appearance.  The  hatches  were 
then  taken  off,  and  the  prisoners  sent  on  board  of  the 
Dort.  There  were  sixty  people  on  board,  a  large  number 
for  a  vessel  of  that  description. 

On  being  interrogated,  two  of  the  prisoners,  who  were 
well-dressed  and  gentlemanlike  persons,  stepped  forward 
and  stated  that  the  vessel  was  from  St  Mary's,  bound 
to  Lima,  with  a  cargo  of  flour  and  passengers ;  that  the 
crew  and  captain  consisted  of  twenty-five  men,  and  all 
the  rest  who  were  on  board,  had  taken  that  opportunity 
of  going  to  Lima.  That  they  themselves  were  among 
the  passengers,  and  trusted  that  the  vessel  and  cargo 
would  be  immediately  released,  as  the  two  nations  were 
not  at  war. 

"  Not  at  war  at  home,  I  grant,"  replied  Philip,  "  but  in 
these  seas,  the  constant  aggressions  of  your  armed  ships 
compel  me  to  retaliate,  and  I  shall  therefore  make  a  prize 
of  your  vessel  and  cargo.  At  the  same  time,  as  I  have  no 
wish  to  molest  private  individuals,  I  will  land  all  the 
passengers  and  crew  at  St  Mary's,  to  which  place  I  am 
bound  in  order  to  obtain  refreshments,  which  now  I  shall 
expect  will  be  given  cheerfully  as  your  ransom,  so  as  to 
relieve  me  from  resorting  to  force."  The  prisoners  pro- 
tested strongly  against  this,  but  without  avail.  They  then 
requested  leave  to  ransom  the  vessel  and  cargo,  offering  a 
larger  sum  than  they  both  appeared  to  be  worth;  but 
Philip,  being  short  of  provisions,  refused  to  part  with  the 


2i8  The  Phantom  Ship 

cargo,  and  the  Spaniards  appeared  much  disappointed  at 
the  unsuccessful  issue  of  their  request.  Finding  that 
nothing  would  induce  him  to  part  with  the  provisions, 
they  then  begged  hard  to  ransom  the  vessel ;  and  to  this, 
after  a  consultation  with  Krantz,  Philip  gave  his  assent. 
The  two  vessels  then  made  sail,  and  steered  on  for  the 
island,  then  about  four  leagues  distant.  Although  Philip 
had  not  wished  to  retain  the  vessel,  yet,  as  they  stood  in 
together,  her  superior  speed  became  so  manifest  that  he 
almost  repented  that  he  had  agreed  to  ransom  her. 

At  noon,  the  Dort  was  anchored  in  the  roads,  out  of 
gunshot,  and  a  portion  of  the  passengers  allowed  to  go 
on  shore  and  make  arrangements  for  the  ransom  of  the 
remainder,  while  the  prize  was  hauled  alongside,  and  her 
cargo  hoisted  into  the  ship.  Towards  evening,  three  large 
boats  with  live  stock  and  vegetables  and  the  sum  agreed 
upon  for  the  ransom  of  the  xebeque,  came  alongside ;  and 
as  soon  as  one  of  the  boats  was  cleared,  the  prisoners  were 
permitted  to  go  on  shore  in  it,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Spanish  pilot,  who,  at  the  suggestion  of  Krantz,  was 
retained,  with  a  promise  of  being  released  directly  the 
Dort  was  clear  of  the  Spanish  seas.  A  negro  slave  was 
also,  at  his  own  request,  allowed  to  remain  on  board,  much 
to  the  annoyance  of  the  two  passengers  before  mentioned, 
who  claimed  the  man  as  their  property,  and  insisted  that 
it  was  an  infraction  of  the  agreement  which  had  been 
entered  into.  "  You  prove  my  right  by  your  own  words," 
replied  Philip  -,  "  I  agreed  to  deliver  up  all  the  passengers, 
but  no  property  ;  the  slave  will  remain  on  board." 

Finding  their  endeavours  ineffectual,  the  Spaniards  took 
a  haughty  leave.  The  Dort  remained  at  anchor  that  night 
to  examine  her  rigging,  and  the  next  morning  they  dis- 
covered that  the  xebeque  had  disappeared,  having  sailed 
unperceived  by  them  during  the  night. 

As  soon  as  the  anchor  was  up  and  sail  made  on  the  ship, 
Philip  went  down  to  his  cabin  with  Krantz,  to  consult  as 
to  their  best  course.  They  were  followed  by  the  negro 
slave,    who,   shutting   the   door   and   looking   watchfully 


The  Phantom  Ship  219 

round,  said  that  he  wished  to  speak  with  them.  His  in- 
formation was  most  important,  but  given  rather  too  late. 
The  vessel  which  had  been  ransomed  was  a  government 
advice-boat,  the  fastest  sailer  the  Spaniards  possessed. 
The  two  pretended  passengers  were  officers  of  the  Spanish 
navy,  and  the  others  were  the  crew  of  the  vessel.  She 
had  been  sent  down  to  collect  the  bullion  and  take  it  to 
Lima,  and  at  the  same  time  to  watch  for  the  arrival  of  the 
Dutch  fleet,  intelHgence  of  whose  sailing  had  been  some 
time  before  received  overland.  When  the  Dutch  fleet 
made  its  appearance,  she  was  to  return  to  Lima  with  the 
news,  and  a  Spanish  force  would  be  despatched  against  it. 
They  further  learnt  that  some  of  the  supposed  casks  of 
flour  contained  2000  gold  doubloons  each,  others  bars  of 
silver  J  this  precaution  having  been  taken  in  case  of  capture. 
That  the  vessel  had  now  sailed  for  Lima  there  was  no 
doubt.  The  reason  why  the  Spaniards  were  so  anxious 
not  to  leave  the  negro  on  board  of  the  Dort,  was,  that 
they  knew  that  he  would  disclose  what  he  now  had  done. 
As  for  the  pilot,  he  was  a  man  whom  the  Spaniards  knew 
they  could  trust,  and  for  that  reason  they  had  better  be 
careful  of  him,  or  he  would  lead  the  Dort  into  some 
difficulty. 

Philip  now  repented  that  he  had  ransomed  the  vessel,  as 
he  would,  in  all  probability,  have  to  meet  and  cope  with  a 
superior  force,  before  he  could  make  his  way  clear  out  of 
these  seas  5  but  there  was  no  help  for  it.  He  consulted 
with  Krantz,  and  it  was  agreed  that  they  should  send  for 
the  ship's  company  and  make  them  acquainted  with  these 
facts  •,  arguing  that  a  knowledge  of  the  valuable  capture 
which  they  had  made,  would  induce  the  men  to  fight  well, 
and  stimulate  them  with  the  hopes  of  further  success. 
The  ship's  company  heard  the  intelligence  with  delight, 
professed  themselves  ready  to  meet  double  their  force, 
and  then,  by  the  directions  of  Philip,  the  casks  were 
brought  up  on  the  quarter-deck,  opened,  and  the  bullion 
taken  out.  The  whole,  when  collected,  amounted  to 
about   half  a  million   of  dollars,   as  near  as  they  could 


220  The  Phantom  Ship 

estimate  it,  and  a  distribution  of  the  coined  money  was 
made  from  the  capstan  the  very  next  day ;  the  bars  of 
metal  being  reserved  until  they  could  be  sold,  and  their 
value  ascertained. 

For  six  weeks  Philip  worked  his  vessel  up  the  coast, 
without  falling  in  with  any  vessel  under  sail.  Notice  had 
been  given  by  the  advice-boat,  as  it  appeared,  and  every 
craft,  large  and  small,  was  at  anchor  under  the  batteries. 
They  had  nearly  run  up  the  whole  coast,  and  Philip  had 
determined  that  the  next  day  he  would  stretch  across  to 
Batavia,  when  a  ship  was  seen  in-shore  under  a  press  of 
sail,  running  towards  Lima.  Chase  was  immediately  given, 
but  the  water  shoaled,  and  the  pilot  was  asked  if  they 
could  stand  on.  He  replied  in  the  affirmative,  stating  that 
they  were  now  in  the  shallowest  water,  and  that  it  was 
deeper  within.  The  leadsman  was  ordered  into  the  chains, 
but  at  the  first  heave  the  lead-line  broke;  another  was 
sent  for,  and  the  Dort  still  carried  on  under  a  heavy  press 
of  sail.  Just  then,  the  negro  slave  went  up  to  Philip,  and 
told  him  that  he  had  seen  the  pilot  with  his  knife  in  the 
chains,  and  that  he  thought  he  must  have  cut  the  lead-line 
so  far  through  as  to  occasion  it  being  carried  away,  and 
told  Philip  not  to  trust  him.  The  helm  was  immediately 
put  down ;  but  as  the  ship  went  round  she  touched  on  the 
bank,  dragged,  and  was  again  clear. — **  Scoundrel !  "  cried 
PhiUp.  "  So  you  cut  the  lead-fine  ^  The  negro  saw  you, 
and  has  saved  us." 

The  Spaniard  leaped  down  from  off  the  gun,  and, 
before  he  could  be  prevented,  had  buried  his  knife  in  the 
heart  of  the  negro.  "  Maldetto,  take  that  for  your  pains  !  " 
cried  he,  in  a  fury,  grinding  his  teeth  and  flourishing  his 
knife. 

The  negro  fell  dead.  The  pilot  was  seized  and  dis- 
armed by  the  crew  of  the  Dort,  who  were  partial  to  the 
negro,  as  it  was  from  his  information  that  they  had  become 
rich. 

"  Let  them  do  with  him  as  they  please,"  said  Krantz  to 
Philip. 


The  Phantom  Ship  221 

"  Yes,"  replied  Philip ;  "  summary  justice." 

The  crew  debated  a  few  minutes,  and  then  lashed  the 
pilot  to  the  negro,  and  carried  him  off  to  the  taffrail. 
There  was  a  heavy  plunge,  and  he  disappeared  under  the 
eddying  waters  in  the  wake  of  the  vessel. 

Philip  now  determined  to  shape  his  course  for  Batavia. 
He  was  within  a  few  days'  sail  of  Lima,  and  had  every 
reason  to  believe  that  vessels  had  been  sent  out  to  inter- 
cept him.  With  a  favourable  wind  he  now  stood  away 
from  the  coast,  and  for  three  days  made  a  rapid  passage. 
On  the  fourth,  at  daylight,  two  vessels  appeared  to  wind- 
ward, bearing  down  upon  him.  That  they  were  large 
armed  vessels  was  evident;  and  the  display  of  Spanish 
ensigns  and  pennants,  as  they  rounded  to,  about  a  mile  to 
windward,  soon  showed  that  they  were  enemies.  They 
proved  to  be  a  frigate  of  a  larger  size  than  the  Dort,  and  a 
corvette  of  twenty-two  guns. 

The  crew  of  the  Dort  showed  no  alarm  at  this  disparity 
of  force :  they  clinked  their  doubloons  in  their  pockets ; 
vowed  not  to  return  them  to  their  lawful  owners,  if  they 
could  help  it ;  and  flew  with  alacrity  to  their  guns.  The 
Dutch  ensign  was  displayed  in  defiance,  and  the  two 
Spanish  vessels,  again  putting  their  heads  towards  the 
Dorti  that  they  might  lessen  their  distance,  received  some 
raking  shot,  which  somewhat  discomposed  them ;  but  they 
rounded  to  at  a  cable's  length,  and  commenced  the  action 
with  great  spirit,  the  frigate  lying  on  the  beam,  and  the 
corvette  on  the  bow  of  Philip's  vessel.  After  half  an  hour's 
determined  exchange  of  broadsides,  the  foremast  of  the 
Spanish  frigate  fell,  carrying  away  with  it  the  maintop- 
mast  j  and  this  accident  impeded  her  firing.  The  Dort 
immediately  made  sail,  stood  on  to  the  corvette,  which  she 
crippled  with  three  or  four  broadsides,  then  tacked,  and 
fetched  alongside  of  the  frigate,  whose  lee-guns  were  still 
impeded  with  the  wreck  of  the  foremast.  The  two 
vessels  now  lay  head  and  stern,  within  ten  feet  of  each 
other,  and  the  action  recommenced  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the    Spaniard.      In    a   quarter   of   an   hour   the   canvas. 


2  22  The  Phantom  Ship 

hanging  overside,  caught  fire  from  the  discharge  of  the 
guns,  and  very  soon  communicated  to  the  ship,  the  Dort 
still  pouring  in  a  most  destructive  broadside,  which  could 
not   be   effectually    returned.      After   every    attempt    to 
extinguish  the  flames,  the  captain  of  the  Spanish  vessel  re- 
solved that  both  vessels  should  share  the  same  fate.     He 
put  his  helm  up,  and,  running  her  on  to  the  Dorty  grappled 
with  her,  and  attempted  to  secure  the  two  vessels  together. 
Then  raged  the  conflict  j  the  Spaniards  attempting  to  pass 
their  grappling-chains  so  as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  their 
enemy,  and   the  Dutch   endeavouring   to   frustrate   their 
attempt.      The  chains    and    sides   of  both   vessels   were 
crowded   with    men    fighting    desperately  ;   those  struck 
down  falling  between  the  two  vessels,  which  the  wreck 
of  the  foremast  still  prevented  from  coming  into  actual 
collision.     During   this   conflict,  Philip   and  Krantz  were 
not  idle.     By  squaring  the  after-yards,  and  putting  all  sail 
on  forward  they  contrived  that  the  Dort  should  pay  off 
before  the  wind  with  her  antagonist,  and  by  this  manoeuvre 
they  cleared  themselves  of  the  smoke  which  so  incommoded 
them  ;  and,  having  good  way  on  the  two  vessels,  they  then 
rounded  to  so  as  to  get  on  the  other  tack,  and  bring  the 
Spaniard  to  leeward.     This  gave  them  a  manifest  advan- 
tage, and  soon  terminated  the  conflict.     The  smoke  and 
flames  were  beat  back  on   the   Spanish   vessel — the   fire 
which  had  communicated  to  the  Dort  was  extinguished — 
the  Spaniards  were  no  longer  able  to  prosecute  their  en- 
deavours to  fasten  the  two  vessels  together,  and  retreated 
to  within  the  bulwarks  of  their  own  vessel ;  and,  after  great 
exertions,  the  Dort  was  disengaged,  and  forged  ahead  of 
her  opponent,  who  was  soon  enveloped  in  a  sheet  of  flame. 
The  corvette  remained  a  few  cables'  length  to  windward, 
occasionally  firing  a  gun.     Philip  poured  in  a  broadside, 
and  she  hauled  down  her  colours.     The  action  might  now 
be  considered  at  an  end,  and  the  object  was  to  save  the 
crew  of  the  burning  frigate.     The  boats  of  the  Dort  were 
hoisted  out,  but  only  two  of  them  could  swim.     One  of 
them  was  immediately  despatched  to  the   corvette,   with 


The  Phantom  Ship  223 

orders  for  her  to  send  all  her  boats  to  the  assistance  of  the 
frigate,  which  was  done,  and  the  major  part  of  the  surviv- 
ing crew  were  saved.  For  two  hours  the  guns  of  the 
frigate,  as  they  were  heated  by  the  flames,  discharged 
themselves  ;  and  then,  the  fire  having  communicated  to  the 
magazine,  she  blew  up,  and  the  remainder  of  her  hull  sank 
slowly  and  disappeared.  Among  the  prisoners  in  the 
uniform  of  the  Spanish  service  Philip  perceived  the  two 
pretended  passengers,  this  proving  the  correctness  of  the 
negro's  statement.  The  two  men-of-war  had  been  sent 
out  of  Lima  on  purpose  to  intercept  him,  anticipating,  with 
such  a  preponderating  force,  an  easy  victory.  After  some 
consultation  with  Krantz,  Philip  agreed  that,  as  the  corvette 
was  in  such  a  crippled  state,  and  the  nations  were  not 
actually  at  war,  it  would  be  advisable  to  release  her  with 
all  the  prisoners.  This  was  done,  and  the  Dort  again 
made  sail  for  Batavia,  and  anchored  in  the  roads  three 
weeks  after  the  combat  had  taken  place.  He  found  the 
remainder  of  the  fleet,  which  had  been  despatched  before 
them,  and  had  arrived  there  some  weeks,  had  taken  in 
their  cargoes,  and  were  ready  to  sail  for  Holland.  Philip 
wrote  his  despatches,  in  which  he  communicated  to  the 
directors  the  events  of  the  voyage;  and  then  went  on 
shore,  to  reside  at  the  house  of  the  merchant  who  had 
formerly  received  him,  until  the  Dort  could  be  freighted 
for  her  voyage  home. 


Chapter  XX 

We  must  return  to  Amine,  who  is  seated  on  the  mossy 
bank  where  she  and  Philip  conversed  when  they  were  in- 
terrupted by  Schriften  the  pilot.  She  is  in  deep  thought, 
with  her  eyes  cast  down,  as  if  trying  to  recall  the  past. 
**  Alas  !  for  my  mother's  power,"  exclaimed  she  ;  "  but  it 
is  gone — gone  for  ever  !  This  torment  and  suspense  I 
cannot  bear — those  foolish  priests  too  !  "  And  Amine  rose 
from  the  bank  and  walked  towards  her  cottage. 


224  The  Phantom  Ship 

Father  Mathias  had  not  returned  to  Lisbon.  At  first  he 
had  not  found  an  opportunity,  and  afterwards,  his  debt  of 
gratitude  towards  Philip  induced  him  to  remain  by  Amine, 
who  appeared  each  day  to  hold  more  in  aversion  the  tenets 
of  the  Christian  faith.  Many  and  many  were  the  consulta- 
tions with  Father  Seysen,  many  were  the  exhortations  of 
both  the  good  old  men  to  Amine,  who,  at  times,  would 
listen  without  reply,  and  at  others,  argue  boldly  against 
them.  It  appeared  to  them  that  she  rejected  their  religion 
with  an  obstinacy  as  unpardonable  as  it  was  incompre- 
hensible. But  to  her  the  case  was  more  simple :  she 
refused  to  believe,  she  said,  that  which  she  could  not 
understand.  She  went  so  far  as  to  acknowledge  the  beauty 
of  the  principles,  the  purity  of  the  doctrine ;  but  when  the 
good  priests  would  enter  into  the  articles  of  their  faith. 
Amine  would  either  shake  her  head  or  attempt  to  turn  the 
conversation.  This  only  increased  the  anxiety  of  the  good 
Father  Mathias  to  convert  and  save  the  soul  of  one  so  young 
and  beautiful ;  and  he  now  no  longer  thought  of  returning 
to  Lisbon,  but  devoted  his  whole  time  to  the  instruction  of 
Amine,  who,  wearied  by  his  incessant  importunities,  almost 
loathed  his  presence. 

Upon  reflection,  it  will  not  appear  surprising  that  Amine 
rejected  a  creed  so  dissonant  to  her  wishes  and  intentions. 
The  human  mind  is  of  that  proud  nature,  that  it  requires 
all  its  humility  to  be  called  into  action  before  it  will  bow, 
even  to  the  Deity. 

Amine  knew  that  her  mother  had  possessed  superior 
knowledge,  and  an  intimacy  with  unearthly  intelligences. 
She  had  seen  her  practise  her  art  with  success,  although  so 
young  at  the  time  that  she  could  not  now  call  to  mind  the 
mystic  preparations  by  which  her  mother  had  succeeded  in 
her  wishes  ;  and  it  was  now  that  her  thoughts  were  wholly 
bent  upon  recovering  what  she  had  forgotten,  that  Father 
Mathias  was  exhorting  her  to  a  creed  which  positively 
forbade  even  the  attempt.  The  peculiar  and  awful 
mission  of  her  husband  strengthened  her  opinion  in  the 
lawfulness  of  calling  in  the  aid  of  supernatural  agencies  j 


The  Phantom  Ship  225 

and  the  arguments  brought  forward  by  these  worthy,  but 
not  over-talented,  professors  of  the  Christian  creed,  had  but 
Httle  effect  upon  a  mind  so  strong  and  so  decided  as  that  of 
Amine — a  mind  which,  bent  as  it  was  upon  one  object, 
rejected  with  scorn  tenets,  in  proof  of  which  they  could 
offer  no  visible  manifestation,  and  which  would  have 
bound  her  blindly  to  believe  what  appeared  to  her  contrary 
to  common  sense.  That  her  mother's  art  could  bring 
evidence  of  its  truth  she  had  already  shown,  and  satisfied 
herself  in  the  effect  of  the  dream  which  she  had  proved 
upon  Philip  ; — but  what  proof  could  they  bring  forward  ? 
— Records — ivhich  they  ijuould  not  permit  her  to  read  I 

**  Oh  !  that  I  had  my  mother's  art,"  repeated  Amine 
once  more,  as  she  entered  the  cottage;  "then  would  I 
know  where  my  Philip  was  at  this  moment.  Oh  !  for  the 
black  mirror  in  which  I  used  to  peer  at  her  command,  and 
tell  her  what  passed  in  array  before  me.  How  well  do 
I  remember  that  time — the  time  of  my  father's  absence, 
when  I  looked  into  the  liquid  on  the  palm  of  my  hand,  and 
told  her  of  the  Bedouin  camp — of  the  skirmish — the  horse 
without  a  rider — and  the  turban  on  the  sand  !  "  And  again 
Amine  fell  into  deep  thought.  "  Yes,"  cried  she,  after  a 
time,  "  thou  canst  assist  me,  mother  !  Give  me  in  a  dream 
thy  knowledge  ;  thy  daughter  begs  it  as  a  boon.  Let  me 
think  again.  The  word — what  was  the  word  ?  what  was 
the  name  of  the  spirit — Turshoon  ?  Yes,  methinks  it  was 
Turshoon.     Mother  !  mother  !  help  your  daughter." 

**  Dost  thou  call  upon  the  Blessed  Virgin,  my  child  ?" 
said  Father  Mathias,  who  had  entered  the  room  as  she  pro- 
nounced the  last  words.  "  If  so,  thou  dost  well,  for  she 
may  appear  to  thee  in  thy  dreams,  and  strengthen  thee  in 
the  true  faith." 

**  I  called  upon  my  own  mother,  who  is  in  the  land  of 
spirits,  good  father,"  replied  Amine. 

"  Yes  ;  but,  as  an  infidel ;  not,  I  fear,  in  the  land  of  the 
blessed  spirits,  my  child." 

"  She  hardly  will  be  punished  for  following  the  creed  of 
her  fathers,  living  where  she  did,  where  no  other  creed 
p.s.  p 


226  The  Phantom  Ship 

was  known  ?  "  replied  Amine,  indignantly.  "  If  the  good 
on  earth  are  blessed  in  the  next  world — if  she  had,  as  you 
assert  she  had,  a  soul  to  be  saved — an  immortal  spirit — He 
who  made  that  spirit  will  not  destroy  it  because  she 
worshipped  as  her  fathers  did. — Her  life  was  good :  why 
should  she  be  punished  for  ignorance  of  that  creed  which 
she  never  had  an  opportunity  of  rejecting  ?  " 

"  Who  shall  dispute  the  will  of  Heaven,  my  child  ?  Be 
thankful  that  you  are  permitted  to  be  instructed,  and  to  be 
received  into  the  bosom  of  the  holy  church." 

"I  am  thankful  for  many  things,  father ;  but  I  am 
weary,  and  must  wish  you  a  good-night." 

Amine  retired  to  her  room — but  not  to  sleep.  Once 
more  did  she  attempt  the  ceremonies  used  by  her  mother, 
changing  them  each  time,  as  doubtful  of  her  success. 
Again  the  censer  was  lighted — the  charm  essayed ;  again 
the  room  was  filled  with  smoke  as  she  threw  in  the  various 
herbs  which  she  had  knowledge  of,  for  all  the  papers 
thrown  aside  at  her  father's  death  had  been  carefully 
collected,  and  on  many  were  directions  found  as  to  the  use 
of  those  herbs.  "  The  word  !  the  word  !  I  have  the  first 
— the  second  word  !  Help  me,  mother  !  "  cried  Amine,  as 
she  sat  by  the  side  of  the  bed,  in  the  room,  which  was  now 
so  full  of  smoke  that  nothing  could  be  distinguished.  "  It 
is  of  no  use,"  thought  she  at  last,  letting  her  hands  fall  at 
her  side  ;  "  I  have  forgotten  the  art.  Mother  !  mother  ! 
help  me  in  my  dreams  this  night." 

The  smoke  gradually  cleared  away,  and,  when  Amine 
lifted  up  her  eyes,  she  perceived  a  figure  standing  before 
her.  At  first  she  thought  she  had  been  successful  in  her 
charm  5  but,  as  the  figure  became  more  distinct,  she  per- 
ceived that  it  was  Father  Mathias,  who  was  looking  at  her 
with  a  severe  frown  and  contracted  brow,  his  arms  folded 
before  him. 

"  Unholy  child  !  what  dost  thou  ?" 

Amine  had  roused  the  suspicions  of  the  priests,  not  only 
by  her  conversation,  but  by  several  attempts  which  she  had 
before  made  to  recover  her  lost  art ;  and  on  one  occasion, 


The  Phantom  Ship  227 

in  which  she  had  defended  it,  both  Father  Mathias  and 
Father  Seysen  had  poured  out  the  bitterest  anathemas 
upon  her,  or  anyone  who  had  resort  to  such  practices. 
The  smell  of  the  fragrant  herbs  thrown  into  the  censer,  and 
the  smoke,  which  afterwards  had  escaped  through  the  door 
and  ascended  the  stairs,  had  awakened  the  suspicions  of 
Father  Mathias,  and  he  had  crept  up  silently,  and  entered 
the  room  without  her  perceiving  it.  Amine  at  once  per- 
ceived her  danger.  Had  she  been  single,  she  would  have 
dared  the  priest ;  but,  for  Philip's  sake,  she  determined  to 
mislead  him. 

"I  do  no  wrong,  father,"  replied  she,  calmly;  **but  it 
appears  to  me  not  seemly  that  you  should  enter  the 
chamber  of  a  young  woman  during  her  husband's  absence. 
I  might  have  been  in  my  bed.     It  is  a  strange  intrusion." 

"  Thou  canst  not  mean  this,  woman !  My  age — my 
profession — are  a  sufficient  warranty,"  replied  Father 
Mathias,  somewhat  confused  at  this  unexpected  attack. 

"  Not  always.  Father,  if  what  I  have  been  told  of  monks 
and  priests  be  true,"  replied  Amine.  **  I  ask  again, 
why  comest  thou  here  into  an  unprotected  woman's 
chamber  ? " 

"  Because  I  felt  convinced  that  she  was  practising  unholy 
arts." 

"  Unholy  arts  ! — what  mean  you  ?  Is  the  leech's  skill 
unholy  ?  is  it  unholy  to  administer  relief  to  those  who 
suffer  ? — to  charm  the  fever  and  the  ague  which  rack  the 
limbs  of  those  who  live  in  this  unwholesome  climate  ^  " 

**  All  charms  are  most  unholy." 

"  When  I  said  charms.  Father,  I  meant  not  what  you 
mean ;  I  simply  would  have  said  a  remedy.  If  a  know- 
ledge of  certain  wonderful  herbs,  which,  properly  com- 
bined will  form  a  specific  to  ease  the  suffering  wretch — an 
art  well  known  unto  my  mother,  and  which  I  now  would 
fain  recall — if  that  knowledge,  or  a  wish  to  regain  that 
knowledge,  be  unholy,  then  are  you  correct." 

I  heard  thee  call  upon  thy  mother  for  her  help." 

I  did,  for  she  well  knew  the  ingredients ;  but  I,  I  fear 


(< 


228  The  Phantom  Ship 

have  not  the  knowledge  that  she  had.    Is  that  sinful,  good 
Father  ?  " 

**'Tis,  then,  a  remedy  that  you  would  find?"  replied 
the  priest ;  **  I  thought  that  thou  didst  practise  that  which 
is  most  unlawful." 

"  Can  the  burning  of  a  few  weeds  be  then  unlawful  ^ 
"What  did  you  expect  to  find  ?  Look  you,  Father,  at  these 
ashes — they  may,  with  oil,  be  rubbed  into  the  pores  and 
give  relief — but  can  they  do  more  ?  What  do  you  expect 
from  them — a  ghost  ? — a  spirit  ? — like  the  prophet  raised 
for  the  King  of  Israel  ?  "     And  Amine  laughed  aloud. 

**  I  am  perplexed,  but  not  convinced,"  replied  the 
priest. 

"  I,  too,  am  perplexed  and  not  convinced,"  responded 
Amine,  scornfully.  "  I  cannot  satisfy  myself  that  a  man 
of  your  discretion  could  really  suppose  that  there  was 
mischief  in  burning  weeds  ;  nor  am  I  convinced  that  such 
was  the  occasion  of  your  visit  at  this  hour  of  the  night  to 
a  lone  woman's  chamber.  There  may  be  natural  charms 
more  powerful  than  those  you  call  supernatural.  I  pray 
you.  Father,  leave  this  chamber.  It  is  not  seemly.  Should 
you  again  presume,  you  leave  the  house.  I  thought  better 
of  you.     In  future,  I  will  not  be  left  at  any  time  alone." 

This  attack  of  Amine's  upon  the  reputation  of  the  old 
priest  was  too  severe.  Father  Mathias  immediately  quitted 
the  room,  saying,  as  he  went  out,  "  May  God  forgive  you 
for  your  false  suspicions  and  great  injustice !  I  came  here 
for  the  cause  I  have  stated,  and  no  more." 

"  Yes !  "  soliloquised  Amine,  as  the  door  closed,  "  I 
know  you  did  ;  but  I  must  rid  myself  of  your  unwelcome 
company.  I  will  have  no  spy  upon  my  actions — no 
meddler  to  thwart  me  in  my  will.  In  your  zeal  you  have 
committed  yourself,  and  I  will  take  the  advantage  you  have 
given  me.  Is  not  the  privacy  of  a  woman's  chamber  to  be 
held  sacred  by  you  sacred  men  ?  In  return  for  assistance 
in  distress — for  food  and  shelter — you  would  become  a 
spy.  How  grateful,  and  how  worthy  of  the  creed  which 
you  profess  !  "    Amine  opened  her  door  as  soon  as  she  had 


The  Phantom  Ship  229 

removed  the  censer,  and  summoned  one  of  the  women  of 
the  house  to  stay  that  night  in  her  room,  stating  that  the 
priest  had  entered  her  chamber,  and  she  did  not  hke  the 
intrusion. 

"  Holy  father  !  is  it  possible  ?  "  replied  the  woman. 

Amine  made  no  reply,  but  went  to  bed  j  but  Father 
Mathias  heard  all  that  passed  as  he  paced  the  room  below. 
The  next  day  he  called  upon  Father  Seysen,  and  com- 
municated to  him  what  had  occurred,  and  the  false 
suspicions  of  Amine. 

"  You  have  acted  hastily,"  replied  Father  Seysen,  "  to 
visit  a  woman's  chamber  at  such  an  hour  of  the  night." 

"  I  had  my  suspicions,  good  Father  Seysen." 

"  And  she  will  have  hers.     She  is  young  and  beautiful." 

**Now,  by  the  Blessed  Virgin " 

"  I  absolve  you,  good  Mathias,"  replied  Father  Seysen  j 
*'but  still,  if  known,  it  would  occasion  much  scandal  to 
our  church." 

And .  known  it  soon  was ;  for  the  woman  who  had 
been  summoned  by  Amine  did  not  fail  to  mention  the 
circumstance ;  and  Father  Mathias  found  himself  every- 
where so  coldly  received,  and,  besides,  so  ill  at  ease  with 
himself,  that  he  very  soon  afterwards  quitted  the  country, 
and  returned  to  Lisbon ;  angry  with  himself  for  his  im- 
prudence, but  still  more  angry  with  Amine  for  her  unjust 
suspicions. 


Chapter  XXI 

The  cargo  of  the  Dort  was  soon  ready,  and  Philip  sailed 
and  arrived  at  Amsterdam  without  any  further  adventure. 
That  he  reached  his  cottage,  and  was  received  with  delight 
by  Amine,  need  hardly  be  said.  She  had  been  expecting 
him ;  for  the  two  ships  of  the  squadron,  which  had  sailed 
on  his  arrival  at  Batavia,  and  which  had  charge  of  his 
despatches,  had,  of  course,  carried  letters  to  her  from 
Philip,  the  first  letters  she  had  ever  received  from  him 


230  The  Phantom  Ship 

during  his  voyages.  Six  weeks  after  the  letters  Philip 
himself  made  his  appearance,  and  Amine  was  happy. 
The  directors  were,  of  course,  highly  satisfied  with 
Philip's  conduct,  and  he  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  a  large  armed  ship,  which  was  to  proceed  to  India  in 
the  spring,  and  one-third  of  which,  according  to  agreement, 
was  purchased  by  Philip  out  of  the  funds  which  he  had 
in  the  hands  of  the  Company.  He  had  now  five  months 
of  quiet  and  repose  to  pass  away,  previous  to  his  once 
more  trusting  to  the  elements ;  and  this  time,  as  it  was 
agreed,  he  had  to  make  arrangements  on  board  for  the 
reception  of  Amine. 

Amine  narrated  to  Philip  what  had  occurred  between 
her  and  the  priest  Mathias,  and  by  what  means  she  had 
rid  herself  of  his  unwished-for  surveillance. 

"  And  were  you  practising  your  mother's  arts.  Amine  ? " 

"  Nay,  not  practising  them,  for  I  could  not  recall  them, 
but  I  was  trying  to  recover  them." 

"Why  so,  Amine?  this  must  not  be.  It  is,  as  the 
good  father  said,  *  unholy.'  Promise  me  you  will  abandon 
them,  now  and  for  ever." 

"  If  that  act  be  unholy,  Philip,  so  is  your  mission.  You 
would  deal  and  co-operate  with  the  spirits  of  another 
world — I  would  do  no  more.  Abandon  your  terrific 
mission — abandon  your  seeking  after  disembodied  spirits — 
stay  at  home  with  your  Amine,  and  she  will  cheerfully 
comply  with  your  request." 

**  Mine  is  an  awful  summons  from  the  Most  High." 

"  Then  the  Most  High  permits  your  communion  with 
those  who  are  not  of  this  world  ? " 

**  He  does ;  you  know  even  the  priests  do  not  gainsay 
it,  although  they  shudder  at  the  very  thought." 

"  If  then  He  permits  to  one.  He  will  to  another ;  nay, 
aught  that  I  can  do  is  but  with  His  permission." 

"  Yes,  Amine,  so  does  He  permit  evil  to  stalk  on  the 
earth,  but  He  countenances  it  not." 

"  He  countenances  your  seeking  after  your  doomed 
father,  your  attempts  to  meet  him  j  nay,  more,  He  com- 


The  Phantom  Ship  231 

mands  it.  If  you  are  thus  permitted,  why  may  not  I 
be?  I  am  your  wife,  a  portion  of  yourself;  and  when 
I  am  left  over  a  desolate  hearth,  while  you  pursue  your 
course  of  danger,  may  not  I  appeal  also  to  the  immaterial 
world  to  give  me  that  intelligence  which  will  soothe  my 
sorrow,  lighten  my  burden,  and  which,  at  the  same  time, 
can  hurt  no  living  creature  ?  Did  I  attempt  to  practise 
these  arts  for  evil  purposes,  it  were  just  to  deny  them 
me,  and  wrong  to  continue  them ;  but  I  would  but  follow 
in  the  steps  of  my  husband,  and  seek  as  he  seeks,  with 
a  good  intent." 

*'  But  it  is  contrary  to  our  faith." 

"Have  the  priests  declared  your  mission  contrary  to 
their  faith  ?  or,  if  they  have,  have  they  not  been  convinced 
to  the  contrary,  and  been  awed  to  silence  ?  But  why 
argue,  my  dear  Philip  ?  Shall  I  not  now  be  with  you  ? 
and  while  with  you  I  will  attempt  no  more.  You  have 
my  promise ;  but  if  separated,  I  will  not  say,  but  I  shall 
then  require  of  the  invisible  a  knowledge  of  my  husband's 
motions,  when  in  search  of  the  invisible  also." 

The  winter  passed  rapidly  away,  for  it  was  passed  by 
Philip  in  quiet  and  happiness ;  the  spring  came  on,  the 
vessel  was  to  be  fitted  out,  and  Philip  and  Amine  repaired 
to  Amsterdam. 

The  Utrecht  was  the  name  of  the  vessel  to  which  he 
had  been  appointed,  a  ship  of  400  tons,  newly  launched, 
and  pierced  for  twenty-four  guns.  Two  more  months 
passed  away,  during  which  Philip  superintended  the  fitting 
and  loading  of  the  vessel,  assisted  by  his  favourite  Krantz, 
who  served  in  her  as  first  mate.  Every  convenience  and 
comfort  that  Philip  could  think  of  was  prepared  for 
Amine  j  and  in  the  month  of  May  he  started,  with  orders 
to  stop  at  Gambroon  and  Ceylon,  run  down  the  Straits  of 
Sumatra,  and  from  thence  to  force  his  way  into  the  China 
seas,  the  Company  having  every  reason  to  expect  from 
the  Portuguese  the  most  determined  opposition  to  the 
attempt.  His  ship's  company  was  numerous,  and  he  had 
a   small   detachment   of  soldiers   on   board   to  assist  the 


232  The  Phantom  Ship 

supercargo,  who  carried  out  many  thousand  dollars  to 
make  purchases  at  ports  in  China,  where  their  goods 
might  not  be  appreciated.  Every  care  had  been  taken 
in  the  equipment  of  the  vessel,  which  was  perhaps 
the  finest,  the  best  manned,  and  freighted  with  the  most 
valuable  cargo,  which  had  been  sent  out  by  the  India 
Company. 

The  Utrecht  sailed  with  a  flowing  sheet,  and  was  soon 
clear  of  the  English  Channel  \  the  voyage  promised  to  be 
auspicious,  favouring  gales  bore  them  without  accident  to 
within  a  few  hundred  miles  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
when,  for  the  first  time,  they  were  becalmed.  Amine 
was  delighted :  in  the  evenings  she  would  pace  the  deck 
with  Philip ;  then  all  was  silent,  except  the  splash  of  the 
wave  as  it  washed  against  the  side  of  the  vessel — all  was 
in  repose  and  beauty,  as  the  bright  southern  constellations 
sparkled  over  their  heads. 

"  "Whose  destinies  can  be  in  these  stars,  which  appear 
not  to  those  who  inhabit  the  northern  regions  ? "  said 
Amine,  as  she  cast  her  eyes  above,  and  watched  them  in 
their  brightness;  **and  what  does  that  falling  meteor 
portend  ?  what  causes  its  rapid  descent  from  heaven  ? " 

"  Do  you,  then,  put  faith  in  stars,  Amine  ? " 

"  In  Araby  we  do ;  and  why  not  ?  They  were  not 
spread  over  the  sky  to  give  light — for  what  then  ?  " 

"  To  beautify  the  world.  They  have  their  uses, 
too." 

"  Then  you  agree  with  me — they  have  their  uses,  and 
the  destinies  of  men  are  there  concealed.  My  mother  was 
one  of  those  who  could  read  them  well.  Alas  !  for  me 
they  are  a  sealed  book." 

**  Is  it  not  better  so,  Amine  ? " 

*' Better! — say  better  to  grovel  on  this  earth  with  our 
selfish,  humbled  race,  wandering  in  mystery,  and  awe, 
and  doubt,  when  we  can  communicate  with  the  intelligences 
above  !  Does  not  the  soul  leap  at  her  admission  to  confer 
with  superior  powers  ?  Does  not  the  proud  heart  bound 
at   the   feeling   that   its    owner    is    one    of    those    more 


The  Phantom  Ship  233 

gifted  than  the  usual  race  of  mortals  ?  Is  it  not  a  noble 
ambition  ? " 

"  A  dangerous  one — most  dangerous." 

"  And  therefore  most  noble.  They  seem  as  if  they  would 
speak  to  me :  look  at  yon  bright  star — it  beckons  to  me." 

For  some  time  Amine's  eyes  were  raised  aloft ;  she 
spoke  not,  and  Philip  remained  at  her  side.  She  walked 
to  the  gangway  of  the  vessel,  and  looked  down  upon  the 
placid  wave,  pierced  by  the  moonbeams  far  below  the  surface. 

**  And  does  your  imagination.  Amine,  conjure  up  a  race 
of  beings  gifted  to  live  beneath  that  deep  blue  wave,  who 
sport  amid  the  coral  rocks,  and  braid  their  hair  with 
pearls  ?  "  said  Philip,  smiling. 

"I  know  not,  but  it  appears  to  me  that  it  would  be 
sweet  to  live  there.  You  may  call  to  mind  your  dream, 
Philip ;  I  was  then,  according  to  your  description,  one  of 
those  same  beings." 

"  You  were,"  replied  Philip,  thoughtfully. 

"  And  yet  I  feel  as  if  water  would  reject  me,  even  if 
the  vessel  were  to  sink.  In  what  manner  this  mortal 
frame  of  mine  may  be  resolved  into  its  elements,  I  know 
not;  but  this  I  do  feel,  that  it  never  will  become  the 
sport  of,  or  be  tossed  by,  the  mocking  waves.  But  come 
in,  Philip,  dearest ;  it  is  late,  and  the  decks  are  wet  with 
dew." 

When  the  day  dawned,  the  look-out  man  at  the  mast- 
head reported  that  he  perceived  something  floating  on  the 
still  surface  of  the  water,  on  the  beam  of  the  vessel. 
Krantz  went  up  with  his  glass  to  examine,  and  made  it 
out  to  be  a  small  boat,  probably  cut  adrift  from  some 
vessel.  As  there  was  no  appearance  of  wind,  Philip 
permitted  a  boat  to  be  sent  to  examine  it,  and  after  a  long 
pull,  the  seamen  returned  on  board,  towing  the  small  boat 
astern. 

"  There  is  a  body  of  a  man  in  it,  sir,"  said  the  second 
mate  to  Krantz,  as  he  gained  the  gangway ;  "but  whether 
he  is  quite  dead,  or  not,  I  cannot  tell." 

Krantz  reported  this  to  Philip,  who  was,  at  that  time, 


234  Th^  Phantom  Ship 

sitting  at  breakfast  with  Amine  in  the  cabin,  and  then 
proceeded  to  the  gangway,  to  where  the  body  of  the  man 
had  been  already  handed  up  by  the  seamen.  The  surgeon, 
who  had  been  summoned,  declared  that  life  was  not  yet 
extinct,  and  was  ordering  him  to  be  taken  below  for 
recovery,  when,  to  their  astonishment,  the  man  turned  as 
he  lay,  sat  up,  and  ultimately  rose  upon  his  feet  and 
staggered  to  a  gun,  when,  after  a  time,  he  appeared  to  be 
fully  recovered.  In  reply  to  questions  put  to  him,  he  said 
that  he  was  in  a  vessel  which  had  been  upset  in  a  squall, 
that  he  had  time  to  cut  away  the  small  boat  astern,  and 
that  all  the  rest  of  the  crew  had  perished.  He  had  hardly 
made  this  answer,  when  Philip  with  Amine  came  out  of  the 
cabin,  and  walked  up  to  where  the  seamen  were  crowded 
round  the  man ;  the  seamen  retreated  so  as  to  make  an 
opening,  when  Philip  and  Amine,  to  their  astonishment  and 
horror,  recognised  their  old  acquaintance,  the  one-eyed 
pilot  Schriften. 

"  He !  he  !  Captain  Vanderdecken,  I  believe — glad  to 
see  you  in  command,  and  you  too,  fair  lady." 

Philip  turned  away  with  a  chill  at  his  heart ;  Amine's 
eye  flashed  as  she  surveyed  the  wasted  form  of  the  wretched 
creature.  After  a  few  seconds,  she  turned  round  and 
followed  Philip  into  the  cabin,  where  she  found  him  with 
his  face  buried  in  his  hands. 

"Courage,  Philip,  courage!"  said  Amine;  "it  was 
indeed  a  heavy  shock,  and  I  fear  me  forbodes  evil — but 
what  then ;  it  is  our  destiny." 

"It  is — it  ought  perhaps  to  be  mine,"  replied  Philip, 
raising  his  head  ;  "  but  you.  Amine,  why  should  you  be  a 
partner " 

**  I  am  your  partner,  Philip,  in  life  and  in  death.  I  would 
not  die  first,  Philip,  because  it  would  grieve  you ;  but 
your  death  will  be  the  signal  for  mine,  and  I  will  join  you 
quickly." 

**  Surely,  Amine,  you  would  not  hasten  your  own  ?  " 

"  Yes  !  and  require  but  one  moment  for  this  little  steel 
to  do  its  duty." 


The  Phantom  Ship  235 

**  Nay  !  Amine,  that  is  not  lawful — our  religion  forbids 
it." 

"  It  may  do  so,  but  I  cannot  tell  why.  I  came  into  this 
world  without  my  own  consent — surely  I  may  leave  it  with- 
out asking  the  leave  of  priests  !  But  let  that  pass  for  the 
present  :  what  will  you  do  with  that  Schriften  ? " 

"  Put  him  on  shore  at  the  Cape  ;  I  cannot  bear  the 
odious  wretch's  presence.  Did  you  not  feel  the  chill,  as 
before,  when  you  approached  him  ? " 

**  I  did — I  knew  that  he  was  there  before  I  saw  him ;  but 
still,  I  know  not  why,  I  feel  as  if  I  would  not  send  him 
away." 

"  Why  not .?  " 

**  I  believe  it  is  because  I  am  inclined  to  brave  destiny, 
not  to  quail  at  it.     The  wretch  can  do  no  harm." 

"  Yes,  he  can — much  :  he  can  render  the  ship's  company 
mutinous  and  disaffected ; — besides,  he  attempted  to  deprive 
me  of  my  relic." 

"  I  almost  wish  he  had  done  so ;  then  must  you  have 
discontinued  this  wild  search." 

"  Nay,  Amine,  say  not  so ;  it  is  my  duty,  and  I  have 
taken  my  solemn  oath " 

"  But  this  Schriften — you  cannot  well  put  him  ashore 
at  the  Cape  ;  being  a  Company's  officer,  you  might  send 
him  home  if  you  found  a  ship  there  homeward-bound; 
still,  were  I  you,  I  would  let  destiny  work.  He  is  woven 
in  with  ours,  that  is  certain.  Courage,  Philip,  and  let  him 
remain." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right.  Amine ;  I  may  retard,  but 
cannot  escape,  whatever  may  be  my  intended  fate." 

"Let  him  remain,  then,  and  let  him  do  his  worst. 
Treat  him  with  kindness — who  knows  what  we  may  gain 
from  him  ? " 

**True,  true,  Amine;  he  has  been  my  enemy  without 
cause.  Who  can  tell  ? — perhaps  he  may  become  my 
friend." 

"  And  if  not,  you  will  have  done  your  duty.  Send  for 
him  now." 


236  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  No,  not  now — to-morrow ;  in  the  meantime,  I  will 
order  him  every  comfort." 

"We  are  talking  as  if  he  were  one  of  us,  which  I  feel 
that  he  is  not,"  replied  Amine  ;  *'  but  still,  mundane  or 
not,  we  cannot  but  offer  mundane  kindness,  and  what  this 
world,  or  rather  what  this  ship  affords.  I  long  now  to 
talk  with  him,  to  see  if  I  can  produce  any  effect  upon  his 
ice-like  frame.  Shall  I  make  love  to  the  ghoul  ? "  and 
Amine  burst  into  a  bitter  laugh. 

Here  the  conversation  dropped,  but  its  substance  was 
not  disregarded.  The  next  morning,  the  surgeon  having 
reported  that  Schriften  was  apparently  quite  recovered,  he 
was  summoned  into  the  cabin.  His  frame  was  wasted 
away  to  a  skeleton,  but  his  motions  and  his  language  were 
as  sharp  and  petulant  as  ever. 

"I  have  sent  for  you,  Schriften,  to  know  if  there  is 
anything  that  I  can  do  to  make  you  more  comfortable. 
Is  there  anything  that  you  want  ? " 

"  Want  ?  "  replied  Schriften,  eyeing  first  Philip  and  then 
Amine. — "  He  !  he  !  I  think  I  want  filling  out  a  little." 

"  That  you  will,  I  trust,  in  good  time  ;  my  steward  has 
my  orders  to  take  care  of  you." 

"Poor  man,"  said  Amine,  with  a  look  of  pity,  "how 
much  he  must  have  suffered  !  Is  not  this  the  man  who 
brought  you  the  letter  from  the  Company,  Philip  ? " 

"  He  !  he  !  yes  !  Not  very  welcome,  was  it,  lady  ?  " 

"  No,  my  good  fellow,  it's  never  a  welcome  message  to 
a  wife,  that  sends  her  husband  away  from  her.  But  that 
was  not  your  fault." 

"  If  a  husband  will  go  to  sea  and  leave  a  handsome  wife, 
when  he  has,  as  they  say,  plenty  of  money  to  live  upon  on 
shore,  he  !  he  !  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,  you  may  well  say  that,"  replied  Amine. 

"  Better  give  it  up.  All  folly,  all  madness — eh,  cap- 
tain?" 

"  I  must  finish  this  voyage,  at  all  events,"  replied  Philip 
to  Amine,  "  whatever  I  may  do  afterwards.  I  have 
suffered  much,   and  so  have  you,  Schriften.     You  have 


The  Phantom  Ship  lyj 

been  twice  wrecked ;  now  tell  me  what  do  you  wish  to  do  ? 
Go  home  in  the  first  ship,  or  go  ashore  at  the  Cape — 
or " 

"  Or  do  anything,  so  I  get  out  of  this  ship — he  !  he  !  " 

**  Not  so.  If  you  prefer  sailing  with  me,  as  I  know  you 
are  a  good  seaman,  you  shall  have  your  rating  and  pay  of 
pilot — that  is,  if  you  choose  to  follow  my  fortunes." 

"  Follow  ? — Must  follow.  Yes  !  I'll  sail  with  you, 
Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  I  wish  to  be  always  near  you — 
he!  he!" 

"Be  it  so,  then  :  as  soon  as  you  are  strong  again,  you 
will  go  to  your  duty ;  till  then,  I  will  see  that  you  want 
for  nothing." 

"  Nor  I,  my  good  fellow.  Come  to  me  if  you  do,  and 
I  will  be  your  help,"  said  Amine.  **  You  have  suffered 
much,  but  we  will  do  what  we  can  to  make  you  forget 
it." 

"  Very  good  !  very  kind  !  "  replied  Schriften,  surveying 
the  lovely  face  and  figure  of  Amine.  After  a  time,  shrug- 
ging up  his  shoulders,  he  added — "  A  pity  !  Yes  it  is  ! — 
Must  be,  though." 

**  Farewell,"  continued  Amine,  holding  out  her  hand  to 
Schriften. 

The  man  took  it,  and  a  cold  shudder  went  to  her  heart ; 
but  she,  expecting  such  a  result,  would  not  appear  to  feel 
it.  Schriften  held  her  hand  for  a  second  or  two  in  his 
own,  looking  at  it  earnestly,  and  then  at  Amine's  face. — 
"  So  fair,  so  good  I  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  I  thank  you. 
Lady,  may  Heaven  preserve  you  !  " — Then,  squeezing  the 
hand  of  Amine  which  he  had  not  released,  Schriften 
hastened  out  of  the  cabin. 

So  great  was  the  sudden  icy  shock  which  passed 
through  Amine's  frame  when  Schriften  pressed  her  hand, 
that  when  with  difficulty  she  gained  the  sofa  she  fell 
upon  it.  After  remaining  with  her  hand  pressed  against 
her  heart  for  some  time,  during  which  Philip  bent  over 
her,  she  said  in  a  breathless  voice,  "  That  creature  must  be 
supernatural,  I  am  sure  of  it,  I  am  now  convinced. — Well," 


238  The  Phantom  Ship 

continued  she,  after  a  pause  of  some  little  while,  "  all  the 
better,  if  we  can  make  him  a  friend ;  and  if  I  can  I 
will." 

"  But  think  you.  Amine,  that  those  who  are  not  of  this 
world  have  feelings  of  kindness,  gratitude,  and  ill-will,  as 
we  have  ?     Can  they  be  made  subservient  ?  " 

"  Most  surely  so.  If  they  have  ill-will,  as  we  know 
they  have,  they  must  also  be  endowed  with  the  better 
feelings.  Why  are  there  good  and  evil  intelligences  ? 
They  may  have  disencumbered  themselves  of  their  mortal 
clay,  but  the  soul  must  be  the  same.  A  soul  without 
feeling  were  no  soul  at  all.  The  soul  is  active  in  this 
world  and  must  be  so  in  the  next.  If  angels  can  pity, 
they  must  feel  like  us.  If  demons  can  vex,  they  must 
feel  like  us.  Our  feelings  change,  then  why  not  theirs  ? 
Without  feelings,  there  were  no  heaven,  no  hell.  Here 
our  souls  are  confined,  cribbed,  and  overladen,  borne 
down  by  the  heavy  flesh  by  which  they  are,  for  the  time, 
polluted  ;  but  the  soul  that  has  winged  its  flight  from  clay 
is,  I  think,  not  one  jot  more  pure,  more  bright,  or  more 
perfect  than  those  within  ourselves.  Can  they  be  made 
subservient,  say  you  !  Yes  !  they  can  ;  they  can  be  forced, 
when  mortals  possess  the  means  and  power.  The  evil- 
inclined  may  be  forced  to  good,  as  well  as  to  evil.  It  is 
not  the  good  and  perfect  spirits  that  we  subject  by  art, 
but  those  that  are  inclined  to  wrong.  It  is  over  them  that 
mortals  have  the  power.  Our  arts  have  no  power  over  the 
perfect  spirits,  but  over  those  which  are  ever  working  evil, 
and  which  are  bound  to  obey  and  do  good,  if  those  who 
master  them  require  it." 

"  You  still  resort  to  forbidden  arts,  Amine.  Is  that 
right?" 

"  Right !  If  we  have  power  given  to  us,  it  is  right  to 
use  it." 

**  Yes,  most  certainly,  for  good — but  not  for  evil." 

"  Mortals  in  power,  possessing  nothing  but  what  is 
mundane,  are  answerable  for  the  use  of  that  power;  so 
those  gifted  by  superior   means,  are  answerable  as  they 


The  Phantom  Ship  239 

employ  those  means.  Does  the  God  above  make  a  flower 
to  grow,  intending  that  it  should  not  be  gathered  ?  No ! 
neither  does  He  allow  supernatural  aid  to  be  given,  if  He 
did  not  intend  that  mortals  should  avail  themselves  of  it." 

As  Amine's  eyes  beamed  upon  Philip's,  he  could  not  for 
the  moment  subdue  the  idea  rising  in  his  mind,  that  she 
was  not  like  other  mortals,  and  he  calmly  observed, 
"  Am  I  sure,  Amine,  that  I  am  wedded  to  one  mortal  as 
myself?" 

"  Yes  !  yes  !  Philip,  compose  yourself,  I  am  but  mortal; 
would  to  Heaven  I  were  not.  Would  to  Heaven  I  were 
one  of  those  who  could  hover  over  you,  watch  you  in  all 
your  perils,  save  and  protect  you  in  this  your  mad  career ; 
but  I  am  but  a  poor  weak  woman,  whose  heart  beats 
fondly,  devotedly  for  you — who,  for  you,  would  dare  all 
and  everything — who,  changed  in  her  nature,  has  become 
courageous  and  daring  from  her  love  ;  and  who  rejects  all 
creeds  which  would  prevent  her  from  calling  upon  heaven, 
or  earth,  or  hell,  to  assist  her  in  retaining  with  her  her 
soul's  existence  ? " 

**Nay!  nay!  Amine,  say  not  you  reject  the  creed. 
Does  not  this," — and  Philip  pulled  from  his  bosom  the 
holy  relic,  "  does  not  this,  and  the  message  sent  by  it, 
prove  our  creed  is  true  ? " 

"  I  have  thought  much  of  it,  Philip.  At  first  it  startled 
me  almost  into  a  belief,  but  even  your  own  priests  helped 
to  undeceive  me.  They  would  not  answer  you  ;  they 
would  have  left  you  to  guide  yourself;  the  message  and 
the  holy  word,  and  the  wonderful  signs  given  were  not  in 
unison  with  their  creed,  and  they  halted.  May  I  not  halt, 
if  they  did  ?  The  relic  may  be  as  mystic,  as  powerful  as 
you  describe ;  but  the  agencies  may  be  false  and  wicked, 
the  power  given  to  it  may  have  fallen  into  wrong  hands — 
the  power  remains  the  same,  but  it  is  applied  to  uses  not 
intended." 

"The  power.  Amine,  can  only  be  exercised  by  those 
who  are  friends  to  Him  who  died  upon  it." 

**  Then  is  it  no  power  at  all ;  or  if  a  power,  not  half  so 


240  The  Phantom  Ship 

great  as  that  of  the  arch-fiend ;  for  his  can  work  for  good 
and  evil  both.  But  on  this  point,  dear  Philip,  we  do  not 
well  agree,  nor  can  we  convince  each  other.  You  have 
been  taught  in  one  way,  I  another.  That  which  our 
childhood  has  imbibed,  which  has  grown  up  with  our 
growth,  and  strengthened  with  our  years,  is  not  to  be 
eradicated.  I  have  seen  my  mother  work  great  charms, 
and  succeed.  You  have  knelt  to  priests :  I  blame  not  you  f 
— blame  not  then  your  Amine.  We  both  mean  well — I 
trust,  do  well." 

"  If  a  life  of  innocence  and  purity  were  all  that  were 
required,  my  Amine  would  be  sure  of  future  bliss." 

*'  I  think  it  is  ;  and  thinking  so,  it  is  my  creed.  There 
are  many  creeds  :  who  shall  say  which  is  the  true  one  ? 
And  what  matters  it  ?  they  all  have  the  same  end  in  view 
— a  future  Heaven." 

"  True,  Amine,  true,"  replied  Philip,  pacing  the  cabin 
thoughtfully  ;  **  and  yet  our  priests  say  otherwise." 

"  What  is  the  basis  of  their  creed,  Philip  ? " 

"  Charity,  and  good-will." 

"Does  charity  condemn  to  eternal  misery  those  who 
have  never  heard  this  creed,  who  have  lived  and  died 
worshipping  the  Great  Being  after  their  best  endeavours,, 
and  little  knowledge  ? " 

"No,  surely." 

Amine  made  no  further  observations ;  and  Philip,  after 
pacing  for  a  few  minutes  in  deep  thought,  walked  out  of 
the  cabin. 

The  Utrecht  arrived  at  the  Cape,  watered,  and  proceeded 
on  her  voyage  and,  after  two  months  of  difficult  navigation, 
cast  anchor  off  Gambroon.  During  this  time,  Amine  had 
been  unceasing  in  her  attempts  to  gain  the  good-will  of 
Schriften.  She  had  often  conversed  with  him  on  deck,, 
and  had  done  him  every  kindness,  and  had  overcome  that 
fear  which  his  near  approach  had  generally  occasioned. 
Schriften  gradually  appeared  mindful  of  this  kindness,  and 
at  last  to  be  pleased  with  Amine's  company.  To  Philip  he 
was  at  times  civil  and  courteous,  but  not  always  \  but  to 


The  Phantom  Ship  241 

Amine  he  was  always  deferent.  His  language  was 
mystical,  she  could  not  prevent  his  chuckling  laugh,  his 
occasional  "  He  !  he  !  "  from  breaking  forth.  But  when 
they  anchored  at  Gambroon,  he  was  on  such  terms  with 
her,  that  he  would  occasionally  come  into  the  cabin ;  and, 
although  he  would  not  sit  down,  would  talk  to  Amine  for 
a  few  minutes,  and  then  depart.  While  the  vessel  lay  at 
anchor  at  Gambroon,  Schriften  one  evening  walked  up  to 
Amine,  who  was  sitting  on  the  poop.  "  Lady,"  said  he, 
after  a  pause,  "  yon  ship  sails  for  your  own  country  in  a 
few  days." 

**  So  I  am  told,"  replied  Amine. 

"  "Will  you  take  the  advice  of  one  who  wishes  you 
well  ?  Return  in  that  vessel,  go  back  to  your  own 
cottage,  and  stay  there  till  your  husband  comes  to  you 
once  more." 

"  Why  is  this  advice  given  ? " 

**  Because  I  forbode  danger,  nay,  perhaps  death,  a 
cruel  death,  to  one  I  would  not  harm." 

"  To  me ! "  replied  Amine,  fixing  her  eyes  upon 
Schriften,  and  meeting  his  piercing  gaze. 

**  Yes,  to  you.  Some  people  can  see  into  futurity 
farther  than  others." 

"  Not  if  they  are  mortal,"  replied  Amine. 

"  Yes,  if  they  are  mortal.  But  mortal  or  not,  I  do  see 
that  which  I  would  avert.     Tempt  not  destiny  farther." 

"  Who  can  avert  it  ?  If  I  take  your  counsel,  still  was 
it  my  destiny  to  take  your  counsel.  If  I  take  it  not,  still 
it  was  my  destiny." 

"  Weil,  then,  avoid  what  threatens  you." 

*«  I  fear  not,  yet  do  I  thank  yon.  Tell  me,  Schriften, 
hast  thou  not  thy  fate  someway  interwoven  with  that 
of  my  husband  ?     I  feel  that  thou  hast." 

**  Why  think  you  so,  lady  ? " 

"For  many  reasons:  twice  you  have  summoned  him, 
twice  have  you  been  wrecked,  and  miraculously  re- 
appeared and  recovered.  You  know,  too,  of  his  mission, 
that  is  evident." 

P.S.  Q 


242  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  But  proves  nothing." 

**  Yes  !  it  proves  much ;  for  it  proves  that  you  knew 
what  was  supposed  to  be  known  but  to  him  alone." 

"  It  was  known  to  you,  and  holy  men  debated  on  it," 
replied  Schriften  with  a  sneer. 

"How  knew  you  that,  again  ?" 

"  He  !  he  !  "  replied  Schriften ;  "  forgive  me,  lady,  I 
meant  not  to  affront  you." 

"  You  cannot  deny  that  you  are  connected  mysteriously 
and  incomprehensibly  with  this  mission  of  my  husband's. 
Tell  me,  is  it  as  he  believes,  true  and  holy  ?  " 

"  If  he  thinks  that  it  is  true  and  holy,  it  becomes  so." 

**  Why  then  do  you  appear  his  enemy  ?  " 

**  I  am  not  his  enemy,  fair  lady." 

"  You  are  not  his  enemy — why  then  did  you  once 
attempt  to  deprive  him  of  the  mystic  relic  by  which  the 
mission  is  to  be  accomplished  ?  " 

**  I  would  prevent  his  further  search,  for  reasons  which 
must  not  be  told.  Does  that  prove  that  I  am  his  enemy  } 
Would  it  not  be  better  that  he  should  remain  on  shore 
with  competence  and  you,  than  be  crossing  the  wild  seas 
on  this  mad  search  ?  Without  the  relic  it  is  not  to  be 
accomplished.  It  were  a  kindness,  then,  to  take  it  from 
him." 

Amine  answered  not,  for  she  was  lost  in  thought. 

**  Lady,"  continued  Schriften,  after  a  time ;  **  I  wish  you 
well.  For  your  husband  I  care  not,  yet  do  I  wish  him 
no  harm.  Now  hear  me;  if  you  wish  for  your  future 
life  to  be  one  of  ease  and  peace — if  you  wish  to  remain 
long  in  this  world  with  the  husband  of  your  choice — of 
your  first  and  warmest  love — if  you  wish  that  he  should 
die  in  his  bed  at  a  good  old  age,  and  that  you  should 
close  his  eyes  with  children's  tears  lamenting,  and  their 
smiles  reserved  to  cheer  their  mother — all  this  I  see  and 
can  promise  is  in  futurity,  if  you  will  take  that  relic  from 
his  bosom  and  give  it  up  to  me.  But  if  you  would  that 
he  should  suffer  more  than  man  has  ever  suffered,  pass 
his  whole  life  in  doubt,  anxiety,  and  pain,  until  the  deep 


The  Phantom  Ship  243 

wave  receive  his  corpse,  then  let  him  keep  it — If  you 
would  that  your  own  days  be  shortened,  and  yet  those 
remaining  be  long  in  human  sufferings,  if  you  would  be 
separated  from  him  and  die  a  cruel  death,  then  let  him 
keep  it.  I  can  read  futurity,  and  such  must  be  the 
destiny  of  both.  Lady,  consider  well,  I  must  leave  you 
now.     To-morrow  I  will  have  your  answer." 

Schriften  walked  away  and  left  Amine  to  her  own  re- 
flections. For  a  long  while  she  repeated  to  herself  the 
conversation  and  denunciations  of  the  man,  whom  she 
was  now  convinced  was  not  of  this  world,  and  was  in 
some  way  or  another  deeply  connected  with  her  husband's 
fate.  "  To  me  he  wishes  well,  no  harm  to  my  husband, 
and  would  prevent  his  search.  Why  would  he  ? — that 
he  will  not  tell.  He  has  tempted  me,  tempted  me  most 
strangely.  How  easy  'twere  to  take  the  relic  whilst  Philip 
sleeps  upon  my  bosom — but  how  treacherous  !  And  yet 
a  life  of  competence  and  ease,  a  smiling  family,  a  good 
aid  age  ;  what  offers  to  a  fond  and  doting  wife  I  And 
if  not,  toil,  anxiety,  and  a  watery  grave ;  and  for  rne  ! 
Pshaw  !  that's  nothing.  And  yet  to  die  separated  from 
Philip,  is  that  nothing  ?  Oh,  no,  the  thought  is  dreadful. 
— I  do  believe  him.  Yes,  he  has  foretold  the  future, 
and  told  it  truly.  Could  I  persuade  Philip  ?  No !  I 
know  him  well ;  he  has  vowed,  and  is  not  to  be  changed. 
And  yet,  if  the  relic  were  taken  without  his  knowledge, 
he  would  not  have  to  blame  himself.  Who  then  would 
he  blame  ?  Could  I  deceive  him  ?  I,  the  wife  of  his 
bosom  tell  a  lie.  No  !  no  !  it  must  not  be.  Come  what 
will,  it  is  our  destiny,  and  I  am  resigned.  I  would  that 
Schriften  had  not  spoken.  Alas  !  we  search  into  futurity, 
and  then  would  fain  retrace  our  steps,  and  wish  we  had 
remained  in  ignorance." 

**  What  makes  you  so  pensive.  Amine  ?  "  said  Philip,  who 
some  time  afterwards  walked  up  to  where  she  was  seated. 

Amine  replied  not  at  first.  **  Shall  I  tell  him  all  ? " 
thought  she.  "It  is  my  only  chance — I  will."  Amine 
repeated    the    conversation   between  her   and   Schriften. 


244  '^^^  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  made  no  reply;  he  sat  down  by  Amine  and  took 
her  hand.  Amine  dropped  her  head  upon  her  husband's 
shoulder.  "  What  think  you,  Amine  ? "  said  Philip,  after 
a  time. 

"  I  could  not  steal  your  relic,  Philip ;  perhaps  you'll  give 
it  to  me." 

"  And  my  father,  Amine,  my  poor  father — his  dreadful 
doom  to  be  eternal !  He  who  appealed,  was  permitted  to 
appeal  to  his  son,  that  that  dreadful  doom  might  be  averted. 
Does  not  the  conversation  of  this  man  prove  to  you  that 
my  mission  is  not  false  ?  Does  not  his  knowledge  of  it 
strengthen  all  ?  Yet,  why  would  he  prevent  it  ? "  con^ 
tinued  Philip,  musing. 

"  Why,  I  cannot  tell,  Philip,  but  I  would  fain  prevent 
it.  I  feel  that  he  has  power  to  read  the  future,  and  has 
read  aright." 

"Be  it  so ;  he  has  spoken,  but  not  plainly.  He  has 
promised  me  what  I  have  long  been  prepared  for — what 
I  vowed  to  Heaven  to  suffer.  Already  have  I  suffered 
much,  and  am  prepared  to  suffer  more.  I  have  long 
looked  upon  this  world  as  a  pilgrimage,  and  (selected  as  I 
have  been)  trust  that  my  reward  will  be  in  the  other. 
But,  Amine,  you  are  not  bound  by  oath  to  Heaven,  you 
have  made  no  compact.  He  advised  you  to  go  home. 
He  talked  of  a  cruel  death.  Follow  his  advice  and 
avoid  it." 

"  I  am  not  bound  by  oath,  Philip ;  but  hear  me ;  as  I 
hope  for  future  bliss,  I  now  bind  myself " 

"  Hold,  Amine  ! " 

"Nay,  Philip,  you  cannot  prevent  me;  for  if  you  do 
now,  I  will  repeat  it  when  you  are  absent.  A  cruel  death 
were  a  charity  to  me,  for  I  shall  not  see  you  suffer.  Then 
may  I  never  expect  future  bliss,  may  eternal  misery  be  my 
portion,  if  I  leave  you  as  long  as  fate  permits  us  to  be 
together.  I  am  yours — your  wife;  my  fortunes,  my 
present,  my  future,  my  all  are  embarked  with  you,  and 
destiny  may  do  its  worst,  for  Amine  will  not  quail.  I  have 
no  recreant  heart  to  turn  aside  from  danger  or  from  suffer- 


The  Phantom  Ship  245 

ing.  In  that  one  point,  Philip,  at  least,  you  chose,  you 
wedded  well." 

Philip  raised  her  hand  to  his  lips  in  silence,  and  the  con- 
versation was  not  resumed.  The  next  evening,  Schriften 
came  up  again  to  Amine.     "  Well,  lady  ?  "  said  he. 

"Schriften,  it  cannot  be,"  replied  Amine;  "yet  do  I 
thank  you  much." 

**  Lady,  if  he  must  follow  up  his  mission,  why  should 
you?" 

"  Schriften,  I  am  his  wife — his  for  ever,  in  this  world, 
and  the  next.     You  cannot  blame  me." 

"  No,"  replied  Schriften,  **  I  do  not  blame,  I  admire  you. 
I  feel  sorry.  But,  after  all,  what  is  death  ?  Nothing. 
He!  he!"  and  Schriften  hastened  away,  and  left  Amine 
to  herself. 


Chapter  XXII 

The  Utrecht  sailed  from  Gambroon,  touched  at  Ceylon,  and 
proceeded  on  her  voyage  in  the  Eastern  Seas.  Schriften 
still  remained  on  board,  but  since  his  last  conversation  with 
Amine  he  had  kept  aloof,  and  appeared  to  avoid  both  her 
and  Philip  •,  still  there  was  not,  as  before,  any  attempt  to 
make  the  ship's  company  disaffected,  nor  did  he  indulge  in 
his  usual  taunts  and  sneers.  The  communication  he  had 
made  to  Amine  had  also  its  effect  upon  her  and  Philip ; 
they  were  more  pensive  and  thoughtful ;  each  attempted 
to  conceal  their  gloom  from  the  other ;  and  when  they 
embraced,  it  was  with  the  mournful  feeling  that  perhaps  it 
was  an  indulgence  they  would  soon  be  deprived  of :  at  the 
same  time,  they  steeled  their  hearts  to  endurance  and  pre- 
pared to  meet  the  worst.  Krantz  wondered  at  the  change, 
but  of  course  could  not  account  for  it.  The  Utrecht  was 
not  far  from  the  Andaman  Isles,  when  Krantz,  who  had 
watched  the  barometer,  came  in  early  one  morning  and 
called  Philip. 


246  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  We  have  every  prospect  of  a  typhoon,  sir,"  said 
Krantz  ;  "  the  glass  and  the  weather  are  both  threatening.'* 

"  Then  we  must  make  all  snug.  Send  down  top-gallant 
yards  and  small  sails  directly.  We  will  strike  top-gallant 
masts.     I  will  be  out  in  a  minute.'* 

Philip  hastened  on  deck.  The  sea  was  smooth,  but 
already  the  moaning  of  the  wind  gave  notice  of  the  ap- 
proaching storm.  The  vacuum  in  the  air  was  about  to  be 
filled  up,  and  the  convulsion  would  be  terrible ;  a  white 
haze  gathered  fast,  thicker  and  thicker  ;  the  men  were 
turned  up,  everything  of  weight  was  sent  below,  and  the 
guns  were  secured.  Now  came  a  blast  of  wind  which 
careened  the  ship,  passed  over,  and  in  a  minute  she  righted 
as  before;  then  another  and  another,  fiercer  and  fiercer 
still.  The  sea,  although  smooth,  at  last  appeared  white 
as  a  sheet  with  foam,  as  the  typhoon  swept  along  in  its 
impetuous  career ;  it  burst  upon  the  vessel,  which  bowed 
down  to  her  gunwale  and  there  remained  j  in  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  the  hurricane  had  passed  over,  and  the  vessel  was 
relieved ;  but  the  sea  had  risen,  and  the  wind  was  strong. 
In  another  hour  the  blast  again  came,  more  wild,  more 
furious  than  the  first,  the  waves  were  dashed  into  their 
faces,  torrents  of  rain  descended,  the  ship  was  thrown  on 
her  beam  ends,  and  thus  remained  till  the  wild  blast  had 
passed  away,  to  sweep  destruction  far  beyond  them,  leaving 
behind  it  a  tumultuous  angry  sea. 

"  It  is  nearly  over  I  believe,  sir,"  said  Krantz.  "  It  i& 
clearing  up  a  little  to  windward." 

"  We  have  had  the  worst  of  it,  I  believe,"  said  Philip. 

"  No !  there  is  worse  to  come,"  said  a  low  voice  near  to 
Philip.     It  was  Schriften  who  spoke. 

**  A  vessel  to  windward  scudding  before  the  gale,"  cried 
Krantz. 

Philip  looked  to  windward,  and  in  the  spot  where  the 
horizon  was  clearest,  he  saw  a  vessel  under  topsails  and 
foresail,  standing  right  down.  "She  is  a  large  vessel; 
bring  me  my  glass."  The  telescope  was  brought  from  the 
cabin,  but  before  Philip  could  use  it,  a  haze  had  again 


The  Phantom  Ship  247 

gathered  up  to  windward,  and  the  vessel  was  not  l<o  be 
seen. 

"Thick  again,"  observed  Philip,  as  he  shut  in  his 
telescope ;  "  we  must  look  out  for  that  vessel,  that  she 
does  not  run  too  close  to  us." 

**  She  has  seen  us,  no  doubt,  sir,"  said  Krantz. 

After  a  few  minutes  the  typhoon  again  raged,  and  the 
atmosphere  was  of  a  murky  gloom.  It  seemed  as  if  some 
heavy  fog  had  been  hurled  along  by  the  furious  wind; 
nothing  was  to  be  distinguished  except  the  white  foam  of 
the  sea,  and  that  not  the  distance  of  half  a  cable's  length, 
where  it  was  lost  in  one  dark  gray  mist.  The  storm-stay- 
sail yielding  to  the  force  of  the  wind,  was  rent  into  strips, 
and  flogged  and  cracked  with  a  noise  even  louder  than  the 
gale.  The  furious  blast  again  blew  over,  and  the  mist 
cleared  up  a  little. 

"  Ship  on  the  weather  beam  dose  aboard  of  us,"  cried 
one  of  the  men. 

Krantz  and  Philip  sprung  upon  the  gunwale,  and  beheld 
the  large  ship  bearing  right  down  upon  them,  not  three 
cables'  length  distant. 

"  Helm  up !  she  does  not  see  us,  and  she  will  be  aboard 
of  us ! "  cried  Philip.  "  Helm  up,  I  say,  hard  up, 
quick ! " 

The  helm  was  put  up,  as  the  men,  perceiving  their 
imminent  danger,  climbed  upon  the  guns  to  look  if  the 
vessel  altered  her  course ;  but  no — down  she  came,  and 
the  head-sails  of  the  Utrecht  having  been  carried  away, 
to  their  horror  they  perceived  that  she  would  not  answer 
her  helm  and  pay  off  as  they  required. 

"  Ship,  ahoy !  "  roared  Philip  through  his  trumpet — but 
the  gale  drove  the  sound  back. 

"  Ship,  ahoy ! "  cried  Krantz  on  the  gunwale,  waving 
his  hat.  It  was  useless — down  she  came,  with  the  waters 
foaming  under  her  bows,  and  was  now  within  pistol-shot 
of  the  Utrecht. 

"  Ship,  ahoy  ! "  roared  all  the  sailors,  with  a  shout  that 
must  have  been  heard :  it  was  not  attended  to ;  down  came 


248  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  vessel  upon  them,  and  now  her  cutwater  was  within 
ten  yards  of  the  Utrecht,  The  men  of  the  Utrecht,  who 
expected  that  their  vessel  would  be  severed  in  half  by  the 
concussion,  climbed  upon  the  weather  gunwale,  all  ready  to 
catch  at  the  ropes  of  the  other  vessel  and  climb  on  board 
of  her.  Amine  who  had  been  surprised  at  the  noise  on 
deck,  had  come  out  and  had  taken  Philip  by  the  arm. 

"Trust  to  me — the  shock" — said  Philip.  He  said  no 
more;  the  cutwater  of  the  stranger  touched  their  sides; 
one  general  cry  was  raised  by  the  sailors  of  the  Utrecht, 
they  sprang  to  catch  at  the  rigging  of  the  other  vessel's 
bowsprit  which  was  now  pointed  between  their  masts — 
they  caught  at  nothing — nothing — there  was  no  shock — 
no  concussion  of  the  two  vessels — the  stranger  appeared 
to  cleave  through  them — her  hull  passed  along  in  silence — 
no  cracking  of  timbers — no  falling  of  masts — the  foreyard 
passed  through  their  mainsail,  yet  the  canvas  was  unrent 
— the  whole  vessel  appeared  to  cut  through  the  Utrecht, 
yet  left  no  trace  of  injury — not  fast,  but  slowly,  as  if  she 
were  really  sawing  through  her  by  the  heaving  and  tossing 
of  the  sea  with  her  sharp  prow.  The  stranger's  forechains 
had  passed  their  gunwale  before  Philip  could  recover  him- 
self. "  Amine,"  cried  he,  at  last,  "  the  Phantom  Ship ! 
my  father  ! " 

The  seamen  of  the  Utrecht,  more  astounded  by  the 
marvellous  result  than  by  their  former  danger,  threw 
themselves  down  upon  deck ;  some  hastened  below,  some 
prayed,  others  were  dumb  with  astonishment  and  fear. 
Amine  appeared  more  calm  than  any,  not  excepting  Philip ; 
she  surveyed  the  vessel  as  it  slowly  forced  its  way  through  ; 
she  beheld  the  seamen  on  board  of  her  coolly  leaning  over 
her  gunwale,  as  if  deriding  the  destruction  they  had  occa- 
sioned ;  she  looked  for  Vanderdecken  himself,  and  on  the 
poop  of  the  vessel,  with  his  trumpet  under  his  arm,  she 
beheld  the  image  of  her  Philip — the  same  hardy,  strong 
build — the  same  features — about  the  same  age  apparently 
— there  could  be  no  doubt  it  was  the  doomed  Vander- 
decken I 


The  Phantom  Ship  249 

"  See,  Philip,"  said  she,  **  see  ! — your  father  !  '* 
**  Even  so— Merciful  Heaven  !  It  is — it  is  " — and  Philip, 
overpowered  by  his  feelings,  sank  upon  deck. 

The  vessel  had  now  passed  over  the  Utrecht ;  the  form 
of  the  elder  Vanderdecken  was  seen  to  walk  aft  and  look 
over  the  tafFrail;  Amine  perceived  it  to  start  and  turn 
away  suddenly — she  looked  down,  and  saw  Schriften 
shaking  his  fist  in  defiance  at  the  supernatural  being! 
Again  the  Phantom  Ship  flew  to  leeward  before  the  gale, 
and  was  soon  lost  in  the  mist ;  but  before  that,  Amine  had 
turned  and  perceived  the  situation  of  Philip.  No  one  but 
herself  and  Schriften  appeared  able  to  act  or  move.  She 
caught  the  pilot's  eye,  beckoned  to  him,  and  with  his 
assistance  Philip  was  led  into  the  cabin. 


Chapter  XXIII 

**I  HAVE  then  seen  him,'*  said  Philip,  after  he  had  lain 
down  on  the  sofa  in  the  cabin  for  some  minutes  to  recover 
himself,  while  Amine  bent  over  him.  **  I  have  at  last  seen 
him,  Amine !  Can  you  doubt  now  ?  " 

"No,  Philip,  I  have  now  no  doubt,"  replied  Amine, 
mournfully ;  "  but  take  courage,  Philip." 

**  For  myself,  I  want  not  courage — but  for  you,  Amine 
— you  know  that  his  appearance  portends  a  mischief  that 
will  surely  come." 

"Let  it  come,"  replied  Amine,  calmly-,  "I  have  long 
been  prepared  for  it,  and  so  have  you." 

"  Yes,  for  myself;  but  not  for  you." 

"  You  have  been  wrecked  often,  and  have  been  saved — 
^en  why  should  not  I  ?  " 

"  But  the  sufferings  !  " 

"  Those  suffer  least  who  have  most  courage  to  bear  up 
against  them.  I  am  but  a  woman,  weak  and  frail  in  body, 
but  I  trust  I  have  that  within  me  which  will  not  make  you 
feel  ashamed  of  Amine.  No,  Philip,  you  will  have  no 
wailing,  no  expression  of  despair  from  Amine's  lips  ;  if  she 


250  The  Phantom  Ship 

can  console  you,  she  will ;  if  she  can  assist  you,  she  will ; 
but,  come  what  may,  if  she  cannot  serve  you,  at  least,  she 
will  prove  no  burden  to  you." 

"Your  presence  in  misfortune  would  un-nerve  me. 
Amine." 

"  It  shall  not ;  it  shall  add  to  your  resolution.  Let  fate 
do  its  worst." 

"  Depend  upon  it.  Amine,  that  will  be  ere  long." 

"Be  it  so,"  replied  Amine ;  "but,  Philip,  it  were  as 
well  you  showed  yourself  on  deck — the  men  are  frightened, 
and  your  absence  will  be  observed." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Philip  ;  and  rising  and  embracing 
her,  he  left  the  cabin. 

"  It  is  but  too  true,  then,"  thought  Amine.  *'  Now  to 
prepare  for  disaster  and  death — the  warning  has  come.  I 
would  I  could  know  more.  Oh !  mother,  mother,  look 
down  upon  thy  child,  and  in  a  dream  reveal  the  mystic  arts 
which  I  have  forgotten,  then  should  I  know  more  ;  but  I 
have  promised  Philip,  that  unless  separated — yes,  that  idea 
is  worse  than  death,  and  I  have  a  sad  foreboding  ;  my 
courage  fails  me  only  when  I  think  of  that !  " 

Philip,  on  his  return  to  the  deck,  found  the  crew  of  the 
vessel  in  great  consternation.  Krantz  himself  appeared 
bewildered — he  had  not  forgotten  the  appearance  of  the 
Phantom  Ship  off  Desolation  Harbour,  and  the  vessels 
following"  her  to  their  destruction.  This  second  appear- 
ance, more  awful  than  the  former,  quite  unmanned  him; 
and  when  Philip  came  out  of  the  cabin,  he  was  leaning  in 
gloomy  silence  against  the  weather  bulkhead. 

"We  shall  never  reach  port  again,  sir,"  said  he  to 
Philip,  as  he  came  up  to  him. 

"  Silence,  silence ;  the  men  may  hear  you." 

"  It  matters  not — they  think  the  same,"  replied  Krantz. 

**But  they  are  wrong,"  replied  Philip,  turning  to 
the  seamen.  "  My  lads  !  that  some  disaster  may  happen 
to  us,  after  the  appearance  of  this  vessel,  is  most  probable ; 
I  have  seen  her  before  more  than  once,  and  disasters  did 
then  happen;   but  here  I  am  alive   and  well,  therefore 


The  Phantom  Ship  251 

it  does  not  prove  that  we  cannot  escape  as  I  have  before 
done.  We  must  do  our  best,  and  trust  in  Heaven.  The 
gale  is  breaking  fast,  and  in  a  few  hours  we  shall  have 
fine  weather,  I  have  met  this  Phantom  Ship  before,  and 
care  not  how  often  I  meet  it  again.  Mr  Krantz,  get  up 
the  spirits — the  men  have  had  hard  work,  and  must  be 
fatigued." 

The  very  prospect  of  obtaining  liquor,  appeared  to  give 
courage  to  the  men ;  they  hastened  to  obey  the  order,  and 
the  quantity  served  out  was  sufficient  to  give  courage  to 
the  most  fearful,  and  induce  others  to  defy  old  Vander- 
decken  and  his  whole  crew  of  imps.  The  next  morning 
the  weather  was  fine,  the  sea  smooth,  and  the  Utrecht 
went  gaily  on  her  voyage. 

Many  days  of  gentle  breezes  and  favouring  winds 
gradually  wore  off  the  panic  occasioned  by  the  super- 
natural appearance,  and  if  not  forgotten,  it  was  referred  to 
either  in  jest  or  with  indifference.  They  now  had  run 
through  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  and  entered  the  Polynesian 
Archipelago.  Philip's  orders  were  to  refresh  and  call  for 
instructions  at  the  small  island  of  Boton,  then  in  possession 
of  the  Dutch.  They  arrived  there  in  safety,  and  after 
remaining  two  days,  again  sailed  on  their  voyage,  intending 
to  make  their  passage  between  the  Celebes  and  the  island 
of  Galago.  The  weather  was  still  clear  and  the  wind 
light :  they  proceeded  cautiously,  on  account  of  the  reefs 
and  currents,  and  with  a  careful  watch  for  the  piratical 
vessels,  which  have  for  centuries  infested  those  seas ;  but 
they  were  not  molested,  and  had  gained  well  up  among 
the  islands  to  the  north  of  Galago,  when  it  fell  calm,  and 
the  vessel  was  borne  to  the  eastward  of  it  by  the  current. 
The  calm  lasted  several  days,  and  they  could  procure  no 
anchorage;  at  last  they  found  themselves  among  the 
cluster  of  islands  near  to  the  northern  coast  of  New 
Guinea. 

The  anchor  was  dropped,  and  the  sails  furled  for  the 
night;  a  drizzling  small  rain  came  on,  the  weather  was 
thick,  and  watches  were  stationed  in  every  part  of  the 


252  The  Phantom  Ship 

ship,  that  they  might  not  be  surprised  by  the  pirate  proas, 
for  the  current  ran  past  the  ship,  at  the  rate  of  eight  or 
nine  miles  per  hour,  and  these  vessels,  if  hid  among  the 
islands,  might  sweep  down  upon  them  unperceived. 

It  was  twelve  o'clock  at  night  when  Philip,  who  was  in 
bed,  was  awakened  by  a  shock ;  he  thought  it  might  be  a 
proa  running  alongside,  and  he  started  from  his  bed  and 
ran  out.  He  found  Krantz,  who  had  been  awakened  by 
the  same  cause,  running  up  undressed — another  shock 
succeeded,  and  the  ship  careened  to  port.  Philip  then 
knew  that  the  ship  was  on  shore. 

The  thickness  of  the  night  prevented  them  from  ascer- 
taining where  they  were,  but  the  lead  was  thrown  over 
the  side,  and  they  found  that  they  were  lying  on  shore  on 
a  sand  bank,  with  not  more  than  fourteen  feet  water  on 
the  deepest  side,  and  that  they  were  broadside  on,  with  a 
strong  current  pressing  them  further  up  on  the  bank; 
indeed  the  current  ran  like  a  mill-race,  and  each  minute 
they  were  swept  into  shallower  water. 

On  examination  they  found  that  the  ship  had  dragged 
her  anchor,  which,  with  the  cable,  was  still  taut  from 
the  starboard  bow,  but  this  did  not  appear  to  prevent  the 
vessel  from  being  swept  further  up  on  the  bank.  It  was 
supposed  that  the  anchor  had  parted  at  the  shank,  and 
another  anchor  was  let  go. 

Nothing  more  could  be  done  till  daybreak,  and  im- 
patiently did  they  wait  till  the  next  morning.  As  the  sun 
rose,  the  mist  cleared  away,  and  they  discovered  that  they 
were  on  shore  on  a  sand  bank,  a  small  portion  of  which  was 
above  water,  and  round  which  the  current  ran  with  great 
impetuosity.  About  three  miles  from  them  was  a  cluster 
of  small  islands  with  cocoa-trees  growing  on  them,  but 
with  no  appearance  of  inhabitants. 

**  I  fear  we  have  little  chance,"  observed  Krantz  to 
Philip.  "If  we  lighten  the  vessel  the  anchor  may  not 
hold,  and  we  shall  be  swept  further  on,  and  it  is  impossible 
to  lay  out  an  anchor  against  the  force  of  this  current." 

"At  all   events  we  must  try;   but    I  grant   that   our 


I 


The  Phantom  Ship  2^3 

situation  is  anything  but  satisfactory.  Send  all  the  hands 
aft." 

The  men  came  aft,  gloomy  and  dispirited. 

"  My  lads  !  "  said  Philip,  **  why  are  you  disheartened  ?  ** 

**  We  are  doomed,  sir ;  we  knew  it  would  be  so." 

"  I  thought  it  probable  that  the  ship  would  be  lost — I 
told  you  so ;  but  the  loss  of  the  ship  does  not  involve  that 
of  the  ship's  company — nay,  it  does  not  follow  that  the 
ship  is  to  be  lost,  although  she  may  be  in  great  difficulty, 
as  she  is  at  present.  "What  fear  is  there  for  us,  my  men  ? 
— the  water  is  smooth — we  have  plenty  of  time  before  us 
— we  can  make  a  raft  and  take  to  our  boats — ^it  never 
blows  among  these  islands,  and  we  have  land  close  under 
our  lee.  Let  us  first  try  what  we  can  do  with  the  ship  ; 
if  we  fail,  we  must  then  take  care  of  ourselves." 

The  men  caught  at  the  idea  and  went  to  work  willingly ; 
the  water  casks  were  started,  the  pumps  set  going,  and 
everything  that  could  be  spared  was  thrown  over  to 
lighten  the  ship ;  but  the  anchor  still  dragged  from  the 
strength  of  the  current  and  bad  holding-ground;  and 
Philip  and  Krantz  perceived  that  they  were  swept  further 
on  the  bank. 

Night  came  on  before  they  quitted  their  toil,  and  then 
a  fresh  breeze  sprung  up  and  created  a  swell,  which 
occasioned  the  vessel  to  beat  on  the  hard  sand ;  thus  did 
they  continue  until  the  next  morning.  At  daylight  the 
men  resumed  their  labours,  and  the  pumps  were  again 
manned  to  clear  the  vessel  of  the  water  which  had  been 
started,  but  after  a  time  they  pumped  up  sand.  This  told 
them  that  a  plank  had  started,  and  that  their  labours  were 
useless ;  the  men  left  their  work,  but  Philip  again  encour- 
aged them,  and  pointed  out  that  they  could  easily  save 
themselves,  and  all  that  they  had  to  do  was  to  construct  a 
raft,  which  would  hold  provisions  for  them,  and  receive 
that  portion  of  the  crew  who  could  not  be  taken  into  the 
boats. 

After  some  repose  the  men  again  set  to  work ;  the  top- 
sails were  struck,  the  yards  lowered  down,  and  the  raft 


254  The  Phantom  Ship 

was  commenced  under  the  lee  of  the  vessel,  where  the 
strong  current  was  checked.  Philip,  recollecting  his  former 
disaster,  took  great  pains  in  the  construction  of  this  raft, 
and  aware  that  as  the  water  and  provisions  were  expended 
there  would  be  no  occasion  to  tow  so  heavy  a  mass,  he 
constructed  it  in  two  parts,  which  might  easily  be  severed, 
and  thus  the  boats  would  have  less  to  tow,  as  soon 
as  circumstances  would  enable  them  to  part  with  one  of 
them. 

Night  again  terminated  their  labours,  and  the  men 
retired  to  rest,  the  weather  continuing  fine,  with  very 
little  wind.  By  noon  the  next  day  the  raft  was  complete ; 
water  and  provisions  were  safely  stowed  on  board;  a 
secure  and  dry  place  was  fitted  up  for  Amine  in  the 
centre  of  one  portion ;  spare  ropes,  sails,  and  everything 
which  could  prove  useful,  in  case  of  their  being  forced 
on  shore,  were  put  in.  Muskets  and  ammunition  were 
also  provided,  and  everything  was  ready,  when  the  men 
came  aft  and  pointed  out  to  Philip  that  there  was  plenty 
of  money  on  board,  which  it  was  folly  to  leave,  and  that 
they  wished  to  carry  as  much  as  they  could  away  with 
them.  As  this  intimation  was  given  in  a  way  that  made 
it  evident  they  intended  that  it  should  be  complied  with, 
Philip  did  not  refuse ;  but  resolved,  in  his  own  mind, 
that  when  they  arrived  at  a  place  where  he  could  exercise 
his  authority,  the  money  should  be  reclaimed  for  the 
Company  to  whom  it  belonged.  The  men  went  down 
below,  and  while  Philip  was  making  arrangements  with 
Amine,  handed  the  casks  of  dollars  out  of  the  hold,  broke 
them  open  and  helped  themselves — quarrelling  with  each 
other  for  the  first  possession,  as  each  cask  was  opened. 
At  last  every  man  had  obtained  as  much  as  he  could 
carry,  and  had  placed  his  spoil  on  the  raft  with  his 
baggage,  or  in  the  boat  to  which  he  had  been  appointed. 
All  was  now  ready — Amine  was  lowered  down,  and  took 
her  station — the  boats  took  in  tow  the  raft,  which  was 
cast  off  from  the  vessel,  and  away  they  went  with  the 
current,  pulling  with  all   their  strength,   to  avoid  being 


The  Phantom  Ship  2$s 

stranded  upon  that  part  of  the  sand  bank  which  appeared 
above  water.  This  was  the  great  danger  which  they 
had  to  encounter,  and  which  they  very  narrowly  escaped. 

They  numbered  eighty-six  souls  in  all:  in  the  boats 
there  were  thirty-two  j  the  rest  were  on  the  raft,  which 
being  well-built  and  full  of  timber,  floated  high  out  of 
the  water,  now  that  the  sea  was  so  smooth.  It  had  been 
agreed  upon  by  Philip  and  Krantz,  that  one  of  them 
should  remain  on  the  raft  and  the  other  in  one  of  the 
boats;  but,  at  the  time  the  raft  quitted  the  ship,  they 
were  both  on  the  raft,  as  they  wished  to  consult,  as  soon 
as  they  discovered  the  direction  of  the  current,  which 
would  be  the  most  advisable  course  for  them  to  pursue. 
It  appeared  that  as  soon  as  the  current  had  passed  the 
bank,  it  took  a  more  southerly  direction  towards  New 
Guinea.  It  was  then  debated  between  them  whether 
they  should  or  should  not  land  on  that  island,  the  natives 
of  which  were  known  to  be  pusillanimous,  yet  treacherous. 
A  long  debate  ensued,  which  ended,  however,  in  their 
resolving  not  to  decide  as  yet,  but  wait  and  see  what 
might  occur.  In  the  meantime,  the  boats  pulled  to  the 
westward,  while  the  current  set  them  fast  down  in  a 
southerly  direction. 

Night  came  on,  and  the  boats  dropped  the  grapnels, 
with  which  they  had  been  provided;  and  Philip  was 
glad  to  find  that  the  current  was  not  near  so  strong, 
and  the  grapnels  held  both  boats  and  raft.  Covering 
themselves  up  with  the  spare  sails  with  which  they  had 
provided  themselves,  and  setting  a  watch,  the  tired 
seamen  were  soon  fast  asleep. 

"Had  I  not  better  remain  in  one  of  the  boats?" 
observed  Krantz.  "Suppose,  to  save  themselves,  the 
boats  were  to  leave  the  raft." 

"I  have  thought  of  that,"  replied  Philip,  "and  have, 
therefore,  not  allowed  any  provisions  or  water  in  the 
boats ;  they  will  not  leave  us  for  that  reason." 

"  True,  I  had  forgotten  that." 

Krantz  remained  on  watch,  and  Philip   retired   to  the 


256  The  Phantom  Ship 

repose  which  he  so  much  needed.     Amine  met  him  with 
open  arms. 

*'  I  have  no  fear,  Philip,"  said  she,  *'  I  rather  like  this 
wild  adventurous  change.  We  will  go  on  shore  and 
build  our  hut  beneath  the  cocoa-trees,  and  I  shall  repine 
when  the  day  comes  which  brings  succour,  and  releases 
us  from  our  desert  isle.     What  do  I  require  but  you  ?  " 

"We  are  in  the  hands  of  One  above,  dear,  who  will 
act  with  us  as  He  pleases.  We  have  to  be  thankful  that 
it  is  no  worse,"  replied  Philip.  "  But  now  to  rest,  for 
I  shall  soon  be  obliged  to  watch." 

The  morning  dawned,  with  a  smooth  sea  and  a  bright 
blue  sky;  the  raft  had  been  borne  to  leeward  of  the 
cluster  of  uninhabited  islands  of  which  we  spoke,  and 
was  now  without  hopes  of  reaching  them ;  but  to  the 
westward  were  to  be  seen  on  the  horizon  the  refracted 
heads  and  trunks  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  in  that  direction 
it  was  resolved  that  they  should  tow  the  raft.  The 
breakfast  had  been  served  out,  and  the  men  had  taken 
to  the  oars,  when  they  discovered  a  proa,  full  of  men, 
sweeping  after  them  from  one  of  the  islands  to  windward. 
That  it  was  a  pirate  vessel  there  could  be  no  doubt  v 
but  Philip  and  Krantz  considered  that  their  force  was 
more  than  sufficient  to  repel  them,  should  an  attack  be 
made.  This  was  pointed  out  to  the  men;  arms  were 
distributed  to  all  in  the  boats,  as  well  as  to  those  on 
the  raft;  and  that  the  seamen  might  not  be  fatigued, 
they  were  ordered  to  lie  on  their  oars,  and  await  the 
coming  up  of  the  vessel. 

As  soon  as  the  pirate  was  within  range,  having  recon- 
noitred her  antagonists,  she  ceased  pulling  and  commenced 
firing  from  a  small  piece  of  cannon,  which  was  mounted 
on  her  bows.  The  grape  and  langridge  which  she  poured 
upon  them  wounded  several  of  the  men,  although  Philip 
had  ordered  them  to  lie  down  flat  on  the  raft  and  in  the 
boats.  The  pirate  advanced  nearer,  and  her  fire  became 
more  destructive,  without  any  opportunity  of  returning 
it  by  the  UtreMs  people.     At  last  it  was  proposed,  as 


The  Phantom  Ship  t.^"] 

the  only  chance  of  escape,  that  the  boats  should  attack 
the  pirate.  This  was  agreed  to  by  Philip — more  men 
were  sent  in  the  boats — Krantz  took  the  command — the 
raft  was  cast  off,  and  the  boats  pulled  away.  But  scarcely 
had  they  cleared  the  raft,  when,  as  by  one  sudden  thought, 
they  turned  round  and  pulled  away  in  the  opposite 
direction.  Krantz's  voice  was  heard  by  Philip,  and  his 
sword  was  seen  to  flash  through  the  air — a  moment 
afterwards  he  plunged  into  the  sea,  and  swam  to  the  raft. 
It  appeared  that  the  people  in  the  boats,  anxious  to 
preserve  the  money  which  they  had  possession  of,  had 
agreed  among  themselves  to  pull  away  and  leave  the  raft 
to  its  fate.  The  proposal  for  attacking  the  pirate  had 
been  suggested  with  that  view,  and  as  soon  as  they  were 
clear  of  the  raft,  they  put  their  intentions  into  execution. 
In  vain  had  Krantz  expostulated  and  threatened ;  they 
would  have  taken  his  life;  and  when  he  found  that  his 
efforts  were  of  no  avail,  he  leaped  from  the  boat.  "  Then 
are  we  lost,  I  fear,"  said  Philip.  "  Our  numbers  are  so 
reduced,  that  we  cannot  hope  to  hold  out  long.  What 
think  you,  Schriften  ? "  ventured  Philip,  addressing  the 
pilot  who  stood  near  to  him. 

**  Lost — but  not  lost  by  the  pirates — no  harm  there. 
He!  he!" 

The  remark  of  Schriften  was  correct.  The  pirates, 
imagining  that  in  taking  to  their  boat,  the  people  had  carried 
with  them  everything  that  was  valuable,  instead  of  firing 
at  the  raft,  immediately  gave  chase  to  the  boats.  The 
sweeps  were  now  out,  and  the  proa  flew  over  the  smooth 
water  like  a  sea-bird,  passed  the  raft,  and  was  at  first 
evidently  gaining  on  the  boats;  but  their  speed  soon 
slackened,  and  as  the  day  passed,  the  boats,  and  then 
the  pirate  vessel  disappeared  in  the  southward;  the 
distance  between  them  being  apparently  much  the  same 
as  at  the  commencement  of  the  chase. 

The  raft  being  now  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and 
waves,  Philip  and  Krantz  collected  the  carpenter's  tools 
which  had  been  brought  from  the  ship,  and  selecting  two 
p.s.  R 


258  The  Phantom  Ship 

spars    from    the   raft,    they    made    every    preparation   for 
stepping  a  mast  and  setting  sail  by  the  next  morning. 

The  morning  dawned,  and  the  first  objects  that  met 
their  view,  were  the  boats  pulling  back  towards  the  raft, 
followed  closely  by  the  pirate.  The  men  had  pulled  the 
whole  night,  and  were  worn  out  with  fatigue.  It  was 
presumed  that  a  consultation  had  been  held,  in  which  it 
was  agreed  that  they  should  make  a  sweep,  so  as  to 
return  to  the  raft ;  as,  if  they  gained  it,  they  would  be 
able  to  defend  themselves,  and  moreover,  obtain  provisions 
and  water,  which  they  had  not  on  board  at  the  time  of 
their  desertion.  But  it  was  fated  otherwise;  gradually 
the  men  dropped  from  their  oars,  exhausted,  into  the 
bottom  of  the  boat,  and  the  pirate  vessel  followed  them 
with  renewed  ardour.  The  boats  were  captured  one  by 
one,  the  booty  found  was  more  than  the  pirates  anticipated, 
and  it  hardly  need  be  said  that  not  one  man  was  spared. 
All  this  took  place  within  three  miles  of  the  raft,  and 
Philip  anticipated  that  the  next  movement  of  the  vessel 
would  be  towards  them,  but  he  was  mistaken.  Satisfied 
with  their  booty,  and  imagining  that  there  could  be  no 
more  on  the  raft,  the  pirate  pulled  away  to  the  eastward, 
towards  the  islands  from  amongst  which  she  had  first 
made  her  appearance.  Thus  were  those  who  expected  to 
escape  and  who  had  deserted  their  companions,  deservedly 
punished,  whilst  those  who  anticipated  every  disaster 
from  this  desertion,  discovered  that  it  was  the  cause  of 
their  being  saved. 

The  remaining  people  on  board  the  raft  amounted  to 
about  forty-five  ;  Philip,  Krantz,  Schriften,  Amine,  the 
two  mates,  sixteen  seamen,  and  twenty-four  soldiers,  who 
had  been  embarked  at  Amsterdam.  Of  provisions  they 
had  sufficient  for  three  or  four  weeks,  but  of  water  they 
were  very  short,  already  not  having  sufficient  for  more 
than  three  days  at  the  usual  allowance.  As  soon  as  the 
mast  had  been  stepped  and  rigged,  and  the  sails  set 
(although  there  was  hardly  a  breath  of  wind),  Philip  ex- 
plained to  the  men  the  necessity  of  reducing  the  quantity 


The  Phantom  Ship  259 

of  water,  and  it  was  agreed  that  it  should  be  served  out 
so  as  to  extend  the  supply  to  twelve  days,  the  allowance 
being  reduced  to  half  a  pint  per  day. 

There  was  a  debate  at  this  time,  as  the  raft  was  in 
two  parts,  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  cast  off  the 
smaller  one  and  put  all  the  people  on  board  the  other; 
but  this  proposal  was  overruled,  as  in  the  first  place, 
although  the  boats  had  deserted  them,  the  number  on 
the  raft  had  not  much  diminished,  and  moreover,  the 
raft  would  steer  much  better  under  sail,  now  that  it  had 
length,  than  it  would  do  if  they  reduced  its  dimensions 
and  altered  its  shape  to  a  square  mass  of  floating  wood. 

For  three  days  it  was  a  calm,  the  sun  poured  down  his 
hot  beams  upon  them,  and  the  want  of  water  was  severely 
felt ;  those  who  continued  to  drink  spirits  suffered  the 
most. 

On  the  fourth  day  the  breeze  sprung  up  favourably,  and 
the  sail  was  filled  -,  it  was  a  relief  to  their  burning  brows 
and  blistered  backs  j  and  as  the  raft  sailed  on  at  the  rate 
of  four  miles  an  hour,  the  men  were  gay  and  full  of  hope. 
The  land  below  the  cocoa-nut  trees  was  now  distinguish- 
able, and  they  anticipated  that  the  next  day  they  could 
land  and  procure  the  water,  which  they  now  so  craved  for. 
All  night  they  carried  sail,  but  the  next  morning  they  dis- 
covered that  the  current  was  strong  against  them,  and  that 
what  they  gained  when  the  breeze  was  fresh,  they  lost 
from  the  adverse  current  as  soon  as  it  went  down;  the 
breeze  was  always  fresh  in  the  morning,  but  it  fell  calm  in 
the  evening.  Thus  did  they  continue  for  four  days  more, 
every  noon  being  not  ten  miles  from  the  land  but  the  next 
morning  swept  away  to  a  distance,  and  having  their  ground 
to  retrace.  Eight  days  had  now  passed,  and  the  men, 
worn  out  with  exposure  to  the  burning  sun,  became  dis- 
contented and  mutinous.  At  one  time  they  insisted  that 
the  raft  should  be  divided,  that  they  might  gain  the 
land  with  the  other  half;  at  another,  that  the  provisions 
which  they  could  no  longer  eat  should  be  thrown  overboard 
to  hghten  the  raft.     The  difficulty  under  which  they  lay, 


26o  The  Phantom  Ship 

was  the  having  no  anchor  or  grapnel  to  the  raft,  the  boats 
having  carried  away  with  them  all  that  had  been  taken 
from  the  ship.  Philip  then  proposed  to  the  men,  that,  as 
every  one  of  them  had  such  a  quantity  of  dollars,  the  money 
should  be  sewed  up  in  canvas  bags,  each  man's  property 
separate  j  and  that  with  this  weight  to  the  ropes  they 
would  probably  be  enabled  to  hold  the  raft  against  the 
current  for  one  night,  when  they  would  be  able  the  next 
day  to  gain  the  shore ;  but  this  was  refused — they  would 
not  risk  their  money.  No,  no — fools  !  they  would  sooner 
part  with  their  lives  by  the  most  miserable  of  all  deaths. 
Again  and  again  was  this  proposed  to  them  by  Philip  and 
Krantz,  but  without  success. 

In  the  meantime,  Amine  had  kept  up  her  courage  and 
her  spirits  ;  proving  to  Philip  a  valuable  adviser  and  a 
comforter  in  his  misfortunes.  "  Cheer  up,  Philip,"  would 
she  say  ;  "  we  shall  yet  build  our  cottage  under  the  shade 
of  those  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  pass  a  portion,  if  not  the 
remainder  of  our  lives  in  peace ;  for  who  indeed  is  there 
who  would  think  to  find  us  in  these  desolate  and  untrodden 
regions  ? " 

Schriften  was  quiet  and  well-behaved;  talked  much 
with  Amine,  but  with  nobody  else.  Indeed  he  appeared 
to  have  a  stronger  feeling  in  favour  of  Amine  than  he  had 
ever  shown  before.  He  watched  over  her  and  attended 
her ;  and  Amine  would  often  look  up  after  being  silent, 
and  perceived  Schriften's  face  wear  an  air  of  pity  and 
melancholy,  which  she  had  believed  it  impossible  that  he 
could  have  exhibited. 

Another  day  passed ;  again  they  neared  the  land,  and 
again  did  the  breeze  die  away,  and  they  were  swept  back 
by  the  current.  The  men  now  rose,  and  in  spite  of  the 
endeavours  of  Philip  and  Krantz,  they  rolled  into  the  sea 
all  the  provisions  and  stores,  everything  but  one  cask  of 
spirits  and  the  remaining  stock  of  water ;  they  then  sat 
down  at  the  upper  end  of  the  raft  with  gloomy,  threatening 
looks,  and  in  close  consultation. 

Another  night  closed  in :  Philip  was  full  of  anxiety. 


The  Phantom  Ship  261 

Again  he  urged  them  to  anchor  with  their  money,  but  in 
vain  5  they  ordered  him  away,  and  he  returned  to  the 
after  part  of  the  raft,  upon  which  Amine's  secure  retreat 
had  been  erected;  he  leant  on  it  in  deep  thought  and 
melancholy,  for  he  imagined  that  Amine  was  asleep. 

"  What  disturbs  you,  Philip  ? " 

"  "What  disturbs  me  ?  The  avarice  and  folly  of  these 
men.  They  will  die,  rather  than  risk  their  hateful  money. 
They  have  the  means  of  saving  themselves  and  us,  and  they 
will  not.  There  is  weight  enough  in  bullion  on  the  fore 
part  of  the  raft  to  hold  a  dozen  floating  masses  such  as 
this,  yet  they  will  not  risk  it.  Cursed  love  of  gold  !  it 
makes  men  fools,  madmen,  villains.  We  have  now  but 
two  days'  water — doled  out  as  it  is  drop  by  drop.  Look 
at  their  emaciated,  broken  down,  wasted  forms,  and  yet  see 
how  they  cling  to  money,  which  probably  they  will  never 
have  occasion  for,  even  if  they  gain  the  land.  I  am  dis- 
tracted !  " 

"  You  suffer,  Philip,  you  suffer  from  privation ;  but  I 
have  been  careful,  I  thought  that  this  would  come  j  I  have 
saved  both  water  and  biscuit — I  have  here  four  bottles  ; — 
drink,  Philip,  and  it  will  relieve  you." 

Philip  drank ;  it  did  relieve  him,  for  the  excitement  of 
the  day  had  pressed  heavily  on  him. 

"  Thanks,  Amine — thanks,  dearest !  I  feel  better  now. 
— Good  Heaven !  are  there  such  fools  as  to  value  the  dross 
of  metal  above  one  drop  of  water  in  a  time  of  suffering 
and  privation  such  as  this  ?  " 

The  night  closed  in  as  before ;  the  stars  shone  bright 
but  there  was  no  moon,  Philip  had  risen  at  midnight  to 
relieve  Krantz  from  the  steerage  of  the  raft.  Usually  the 
men  had  lain  about  in  every  part  of  the  raft,  but  this  night 
the  majority  of  them  remained  forward.  Philip  was 
communing  with  his  own  bitter  thoughts,  when  he  heard 
a  scuffle  forward,  and  the  voice  of  Krantz  crying  out  to 
him  for  help.  He  quitted  the  helm,  and  seizing  his  cutlass 
ran  forward,  where  he  found  Krantz  down,  and  the  men 
securing  him.    He  fought  his  way  to  him,  but  was  himself 


262  The  Phantom  Ship 

seized  and  disarmed.  "  Cut  away — cut  away,"  was  called 
out  by  those  who  held  him ;  and,  in  a  few  seconds,  Philip 
had  the  misery  to  behold  the  after  part  of  the  raft,  with 
Amine  upon  it,  drifted  apart  from  the  one  on  which  he 
stood. 

"  For  mercy's  sake  !  my  wife — my  Amine — for  Heaven's 
sake  save  her ! "  cried  Philip,  struggling  in  vain  to 
disengage  himself.  Amine  also,  who  had  run  to  the  side 
of  the  raft,  held  out  her  arms — it  was  in  vain — they  were 
separated  more  than  a  cable's  length.  Philip  made  one 
more  desperate  struggle,  and  then  fell  down  deprived  of 
sense  and  motion. 


Chapter    XXIV 

It  was  not  until  the  day  had  dawned  that  Philip  opened 
his  eyes,  and  discovered  Krantz  kneeling  at  his  side ;  at 
first  his  thoughts  were  scattered  and  confused;  he  felt 
that  some  dreadful  calamity  had  happened  to  him,  but  he 
could  not  recall  to  mind  what  it  was.  At  last  it  rushed 
upon  him,  and  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 

"  Take  comfort,"  said  Krantz  ;  "  we  shall  probably  gain 
the  shore  to-day,  and  we  will  go  in  search  of  her  as  soon 
as  we  can." 

"  This,  then,  is  the  separation  and  the  cruel  death  to  her 
which  that  wretch  Schriften  prophesied  to  us,"  thought 
Philip  ;  "  cruel  indeed  to  waste  away  to  a  skeleton,  under 
a  burning  sun,  without  one  drop  of  water  left  to  cool  her 
parched  tongue  ;  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and  waves ;. 
drifting  about — alone — all  alone — separated  from  her 
husband,  in  whose  arms  she  would  have  died  without 
regret ;  maddened  with  suspense  and  with  the  thoughts  of 
what  I  may  be  suffering,  or  what  may  have  been  my  fate. 
Pilot,  you  are  right ;  there  can  be  no  more  cruel  death  to 
a  fond  and  doting  wife.  Oh  !  my  head  reels.  What  has 
Philip  Vanderdecken  to  live  for  now  ?  " 

Krantz  offered  such  consolation  as  his  friendship  could 


The  Phantom  Ship  26^ 

suggest,  but  in  vain  He  then  talked  of  revenge,  and 
Philip  raised  his  head.  After  a  few  minutes'  thought,  he 
rose  up.  **  Yes,"  replied  he,  "  revenge  ! — revenge  upon 
those  dastards  and  traitors !  Tell  me,  Krantz,  how  many- 
can  we  trust  ? " 

"  Half  of  the  men,  I  should  think,  at  least.  It  was  a 
surprise."  A  spar  had  been  fitted  as  a  rudder,  and  the  raft 
had  now  gained  nearer  the  shore  than  it  ever  had  done 
before.  The  men  were  in  high  spirits  at  the  prospect,  and 
every  man  was  sitting  on  his  own  store  of  dollars,  which, 
in  their  eyes,  increased  in  value,  in  proportion  as  did  their 
prospect  of  escape. 

Philip  discovered  from  Krantz,  that  it  was  the  soldiers 
and  the  most  indifferent  seamen  who  had  mutinied  on  the 
night  before,  and  cut  away  the  other  raft ;  and  that  all  the 
best  men  had  remained  neuter. 

"  And  so  they  will  be  now,  I  imagine,"  continued 
Krantz  ;  **  the  prospect  of  gaining  the  shore  has,  in  a 
manner,  reconciled  them  to  the  treachery  of  their  com- 
panions." 

"Probably,"  replied  Philip,  with  a  bitter  laugh;  "but 
I  know  what  will  rouse  them.     Send  them  here  to  me." 

Philip  talked  to  the  seamen,  whom  Krantz  had  sent  over 
to  him.  He  pointed  out  to  them  that  the  other  men  were 
traitors,  not  to  be  relied  upon ;  that  they  would  sacrifice 
everything  and  everybody  for  their  own  gain;  that  they 
had  already  done  so  for  money,  and  that  they  themselves 
would  have  no  security,  either  on  the  raft  or  on  shore,  with 
such  people ;  that  they  dare  not  sleep  for  fear  of  having 
their  throats  cut,  and  that  it  were  better  at  once  to  get  rid 
of  those  who  could  not  be  true  to  each  other  ;  that  it  would 
facilitate  their  escape,  and  that  they  could  divide  between 
themselves  the  money  which  the  others  had  secured,  and 
by  which  they  would  double  their  own  shares.  That  it 
had  been  his  intention,  although  he  had  said  nothing,  to 
enforce  the  restoration  of  the  money  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Company,  as  soon  as  they  had  gained  a  civilised  port, 
where   the   authorities  could   interfere ;  but  that,  if  they 


264  The  Phantom  Ship 

consented  to  join  and  aid  him,  he  would  now  give  them  the 
whole  of  it  for  their  own  use. 

What  will  not  the  desire  of  gain  effect  ?  Is  it,  therefore, 
to  be  wondered  at,  that  these  men,  who  were  indeed  but 
little  better  than  those  who  were  thus,  in  his  desire  of  retalia- 
tion, denounced  by  Philip,  consented  to  his  proposal  ?  It 
was  agreed,  that  if  they  did  not  gain  the  shore,  the  others 
should  be  attacked  that  very  night,  and  tossed  into  the  sea. 

But  the  consultation  with  Philip  had  put  the  other  party 
on  the  alert ;  they,  too,  held  council,  and  kept  their  arms 
by  their  sides.  As  the  breeze  died  away,  they  were  not 
two  miles  from  the  land,  and  once  more  they  drifted  back 
into  the  ocean.  Philip's  mind  was  borne  down  with  grief 
at  the  loss  of  Amine  ;  but  it  recovered  to  a  certain  degree 
when  he  thought  of  revenge :  that  feeling  stayed  him  up, 
and  he  often  felt  the  edge  of  his  cutlass,  impatient  for  the 
moment  of  retribution. 

It  was  a  lovely  night;  the  sea  was  now  smooth  as 
glass,  and  not  a  breath  of  air  moved  in  the  heavens ;  the 
sail  of  the  raft  hung  listless  down  the  mast,  and  was 
reflected  upon  the  calm  surface  by  the  brilliancy  of 
the  starry  night  alone.  It  was  a  night  for  contempla- 
tion— for  examination  of  oneself,  and  adoration  of  the 
Deity ;  and  here,  on  a  frail  raft,  were  huddled  together 
more  than  forty  beings  ready  for  combat,  for  murder, 
and  for  spoil.  Each  party  pretended  to  repose ;  yet 
each  were  quietly  watching  the  motions  of  the  other, 
with  their  hands  upon  their  weapons.  The  signal  was 
to  be  given  by  Philip :  it  was,  to  let  go  the  halyards  of 
the  yard,  so  that  the  sail  should  fall  down  upon  a  portion 
of  the  other  party,  and  entangle  them.  By  Philip's  direc- 
tions, Schriften  had  taken  the  helm,  and  Krantz  remained 
by  his  side. 

The  yard  and  sail  fell  clattering  down,  and  then  the 
work  of  death  commenced ;  there  was  no  parley,  no 
suspense ;  each  man  started  upon  his  feet  and  raised  his 
sword.  The  voices  of  Philip  and  of  Krantz  alone  were 
heard,  and  Philip's  sword  did  its  work.     He  was  nerved 


The  Phantom  Ship  265 

to  his  revenge,  and  never  could  be  satiated  as  long  as 
one  remained  who  had  sacrificed  his  Amine.  As  Philip 
had  expected,  many  had  been  covered  up  and  entangled 
by  the  falling  of  the  sail,  and  their  work  was  thereby 
made  easier. 

Some  fell  where  they  stood;  others  reeled  back,  and 
sunk  down  under  the  smooth  water ;  others  were  pierced 
as  they  floundered  under  the  canvas.  In  a  few  minutes, 
the  work  of  carnage  was  complete.  Schriften  meanwhile 
looked  on,  and  ever  and  anon  gave  vent  to  his  chuckling 
laugh — his  demoniacal  **  He  !  he  !  " 

The  strife  was  over,  and  Philip  stood  against  the  mast 
to  recover  his  breath.  **So  far  art  thou  revenged,  my 
Amine,"  thought  he  ;  "  but,  oh  !  what  are  these  paltry 
lives  compared  to  thine  ? "  And  now  that  his  revenge 
was  satiated,  and  he  could  do  no  more,  he  covered  his 
face  up  in  his  hands,  and  wept  bitterly,  while  those  who 
had  assisted  him  were  already  collecting  the  money  of 
the  slain  for  distribution.  These  men,  when  they  found 
that  three  only  of  their  side  had  fallen,  lamented  that  there 
had  not  been  more,  as  their  own  shares  of  the  dollars 
would  have  been  increased. 

There  were  now  but  thirteen  men  besides  Philip, 
Krantz,  and  Schriften  left  upon  the  raft.  As  the  day 
dawned,  the  breeze  again  sprung  up,  and  they  shared 
out  the  portions  of  water,  which  would  have  been  the 
allowance  of  their  companions  who  had  fallen.  Hunger 
they  felt  not  5  but  the  water  revived  their  spirits. 

Although  Philip  had  had  little  to  say  to  Schriften  since 
the  separation  from  Amine,  it  was  very  evident  to  him 
and  to  Krantz,  that  all  the  pilot's  former  bitter  feelings 
had  returned.  His  chuckle,  his  sarcasms,  his  "  He ! 
he  !  "  were  incessant ;  and  his  eye  was  now  as  maliciously 
directed  to  Philip  as  it  was  when  they  first  met.  It  was 
evident  that  Amine  alone  had  for  the  time  conquered  his 
disposition  j  and  that,  with  her  disappearance,  had  vanished 
all  the  good-will  of  Schriften  towards  her  husband.  For 
this   Philip   cared   little ;   he   had   a  much   more   serious 


2.66  The  Phantom  Ship 

weight  on  his  heart — the  loss  of  his  dear  Amine;  and 
he  felt  reckless  and  indifferent  concerning  anything  else. 

The  breeze  now  freshened,  and  they  expected  that, 
in  two  hours,  they  would  run  on  the  beach,  but  they 
were  disappointed :  the  step  of  the  mast  gave  way  from 
the  force  of  the  wind,  and  the  sail  fell  upon  the  raft. 
This  occasioned  great  delay  ;  and  before  they  could  repair 
the  mischief,  the  wind  again  subsided,  and  they  were  left 
about  a  mile  from  the  beach.  Tired  and  worn  out  with 
his  feelings,  Philip  at  last  fell  asleep  by  the  side  of  Krantz, 
leaving  Schriften  at  the  helm.  He  slept  soundly — he 
dreamt  of  Amine — he  thought  she  was  under  a  grove 
of  cocoa-nuts  in  a  sweet  sleep ;  that  he  stood  by  and 
watched  her,  and  that  she  smiled  in  her  sleep,  and 
murmured  "  Philip,"  when  suddenly  he  was  awakened 
by  some  unusual  movement.  Half-dreaming  still,  he 
thought  that  Schriften,  the  pilot,  had  in  his  sleep  been 
attempting  to  gain  his  relic,  had  passed  the  chain  over 
his  head,  and  was  removing  quietly  from  underneath  his 
neck  the  portion  of  the  chain  which,  in  his  reclining 
posture,  he  lay  upon.  Startled  at  the  idea,  he  threw  up 
his  hand  to  seize  the  arm  of  the  wretch,  and  found  that 
he  had  really  seized  hold  of  Schriften,  who  was  kneeling 
by  him,  and  in  possession  of  the  chain  and  relic.  The 
struggle  was  short,  the  relic  was  recovered,  and  the  pilot 
lay  at  the  mercy  of  Philip,  who  held  him  down  with  his 
knee  on  his  chest.  Philip  replaced  the  relic  on  his  bosom, 
and,  excited  to  madness,  rose  from  the  body  of  the  now 
breathless  Schriften,  caught  it  in  his  arms,  and  hurled  it 
into  the  sea. 

"  Man  or  devil !  I  care  not  which,"  exclaimed  Philip, 
breathless  ;  "  escape  now,  if  you  can  !  " 

The  struggle  had  already  roused  up  Krantz  and  others, 
but  not  in  time  to  prevent  Philip  from  wreaking  his 
vengeance  upon  Schriften.  In  few  words,  he  told  Krantz 
what  had  passed  5  as  for  the  men,  they  cared  not ;  they 
laid  their  heads  down  again,  and,  satisfied  that  their 
money  was  safe,  inquired  no  further. 


The  Phantom  Ship  i^'] 

Philip  watched  to  see  if  Schriften  would  rise  up  again, 
and  try  to  regain  the  raft ;  but  he  did  not  make  his  appear- 
ance above  water,  and  Philip  felt  satisfied. 


Chapter  XXV 

What  pen  could  portray  the  feelings  of  the  fond  and 
doting  Amine,  when  she  first  discovered  that  she  was 
separated  from  her  husband  ?  In  a  state  of  bewilderment, 
she  watched  the  other  raft  as  the  distance  between  them 
increased.  At  last  the  shades  of  night  hid  it  from  her 
aching  eyes,  and  she  dropped  down  in  mute  despair. 

Gradually  she  recovered  herself,  and  turning  round,  she 
exclaimed,  **  Who's  here  ?  " 

No  answer. 

**  Who's  here  }  "  cried  she  in  a  louder  voice  ;  "  alone — 
alone — and  Philip  gone.  Mother,  mother,  look  down 
upon  your  unhappy  child !  "  and  Amine  frantically  threw 
herself  down  so  near  to  the  edge  of  the  raft,  that  her  long 
hair,  which  had  fallen  down,  floated  on  the  wave. 

"  Ah  me  !  where  am  I  ?  "  cried  Amine,  after  remaining 
in  a  state  of  torpor  for  some  hours.  The  sun  glared 
fiercely  upon  her,  and  dazzled  her  eyes  as  she  opened 
them — she  cast  them  on  the  blue  wave  close  by  her,  and 
beheld  a  large  shark  motionless  by  the  side  of  the  raft, 
waiting  for  his  prey.  Recoiling  from  the  edge,  she  started 
up.  She  turned  round,  and  beheld  the  raft  vacant,  and  the 
truth  flashed  on  her.  "  Oh  !  Philip,  Philip  ! "  cried  she, 
"  then  it  is  true,  and  you  are  gone  for  ever  !  I  thought  it 
was  only  a  dream,  I  recollect  all  now.  Yes — all — all !  " 
And  Amine  sank  down  again  upon  her  cot,  which  had  been 
placed  in  the  centre  of  the  raft,  and  remained  motionless 
for  some  time. 

But  the  demand  for  water  became  imperious ;  she  seized 
one  of  the  bottles,  and  drank.  "  Yet  why  should  I  drink 
or  eat  ?  Why  should  I  wish  to  preserve  life  ?  "  She  rose, 
and  looked  round  the  horizon — "  Sky  and  water,  nothing 


268  The  Phantom  Ship 

more.  Is  this  the  death  I  am  to  die — the  cruel  death 
prophesied  by  Schriften — a  lingering  death  under  a  burning 
sun,  while  my  vitals  are  parched  within  ?  Be  it  so  !  Fate 
I  dare  thee  to  thy  worst — we  can  die  but  once — and  with- 
out him,  what  care  I  to  live  !  But  yet  I  may  see  him  again," 
continued  Amine,  hurriedly,  after  a  pause.  "  Yes  !  I  may 
— who  knows  ?  Then  welcome  life,  TU  nurse  thee  for 
that  bare  hope — bare  indeed  with  nought  to  feed  on.  Let 
me  see,  is  it  here  still  ?  '*  Amine  looked  at  her  zone,  and 
perceived  her  dagger  was  still  in  it.  "  Well  then,  I  will 
live  since  death  is  at  my  command,  and  be  guardful  of  life 
for  my  dear  husband's  sake."  And  Amine  threw  herself  on 
her  resting-place  that  she  might  forget  everything.  She 
did  :  from  that  morning  till  the  noon  of  the  next  day,  she 
remained  in  a  state  of  torpor. 

When  she  again  rose,  she  was  faint ;  again  she  looked 
round  her — there  was  but  sky  and  water  to  be  seen. 

**  Oh  !  this  solitude — it  is  horrible !  death  would  be  a 
release — but  no,  I  must  not  die — I  must  live  for  Philip." 
She  refreshed  herself  with  water  and  a  few  pieces  of 
biscuit,  and  folded  her  arms  across  her  breast.  **  A  few 
more  days  without  relief,  and  all  must  be  over.  Was  ever 
woman  situated  as  I  am,  and  yet  I  dare  to  indulge  hope  ? 
Why,  'tis  madness !  And  why  am  I  thus  singled  out : 
because  I  have  wedded  with  Philip  ?  It  may  be  so  ;  if  so,  I 
welcome  it.  Wretches !  who  thus  severed  me  from  my 
husband  ;  who,  to  save  their  own  lives,  sacrificed  a  helpless 
woman  !  Nay  !  they  might  have  saved  me,  if  they  had  had 
the  least  pity  ; — but  no,  they  never  felt  it.  And  these  are 
Christians  !  The  creed  that  the  old  priests  would  have 
had  me — yes  !  that  Philip  would  have  had  me  embrace. 
Charity  and  good-will !  They  talk  of  it,  but  I  have  never 
seen  them  practise  it  !  Loving  one  another  ! — forgiving 
one  another ! — say  rather  hating  and  preying  upon  one 
another  !  A  creed  never  practised  :  why,  if  not  prac- 
tised, of  what  value  is  it  ?  Any  creed  were  better — I  abjure 
it,  and  if  I  be  saved,  will  abjure  it  still  for  ever.  Shade 
of  my  mother !  is  it  that  I  have  listened  to  these  men — 


The  Phantom  Ship  269 

that  I  have,  to  win  my  husband's  love,  tried  to  forget  that 
which  thou  taughtest,  even  when  a  child  at  thy  feet — that 
faith  which  our  forefathers  for  thousands  of  years  lived  and 
died  in — that  creed  proved  by  works,  and  obedience  to  the 
prophet's  will — is  it  for  this  that  I  am  punished  ?  Tell 
me,  mother — oh  !  tell  me  in  my  dreams." 

The  night  closed  in,  and  with  the  gloom  rose  heavy 
clouds  5  the  lightning  darted  through  the  firmament,  ever 
and  anon  lighting  up  the  raft.  At  last,  the  flashes  were  so 
rapid,  not  following  each  other — but  darting  down  from 
every  quarter  at  once,  that  the  whole  firmament  appeared 
as  if  on  fire,  and  the  thunder  rolled  along  the  heavens,  now 
near  and  loud,  then  rumbling  in  the  distance.  The  breeze 
rose  up  fresh,  and  the  waves  tossed  the  raft,  and  washed 
occasionally  even  to  Amine's  feet,  as  she  stood  in  the 
centre  of  it. 

"  I  like  this — this  is  far  better  than  that  calm  and 
withering  heat — this  rouses  me,"  said  Amine,  as  she  cast 
her  eyes  up,  and  watched  the  forked  lightning  till  her 
vision  became  obscured.  **  Yes,  this  is  as  it  should  be. 
Lightning,  strike  me  if  you  please — waves  wash  me  off 
and  bury  me  in  a  briny  tomb — pour  the  wrath  of  the  whole 
elements  upon  this  devoted  head. — I  care  not,  I  laugh  at, 
I  defy  it  all.  Thou  canst  but  kill,  this  little  steel  can  do 
as  much.  Let  those  who  hoard  up  wealth — those  who 
live  in  splendour — those  that  are  happy — those  who  have 
husbands,  children,  aught  to  love — let  them  tremble,  I 
have  nothing.  Elements  !  be  ye  fire,  or  water,  or  earth, 
or  air,  Amine  defies  you  !  And  yet — no,  no,  deceive  not 
thyself,  Amine,  there  is  no  hope  ;  thus  will  I  mount  my 
funeral  bier,  and  wait  the  will  of  destiny."  And  Amine 
regained  the  secure  place  which  Philip  had  fitted  up  for 
her  in  the  centre  of  the  raft,  threw  herself  down  upon  her 
bed,  and  shut  her  eyes. 

The  thunder  and  lightning  was  followed  up  by  torrents 
of  heavy  rain,  which  fell  till  daylight ;  the  wind  still  con- 
tinued fresh,  but  the  sky  cleared,  and  the  sun  shone  out. 
Amine  remained  shivering  in  her  wet  garments  ;  the  heat 


270  The  Phantom  Ship 

of  the  sun  proved  too  powerful  for  her  exhausted  state, 
and  her  brain  wandered.  She  rose  up  in  a  sitting  posture, 
looked  around  her,  saw  verdant  fields  in  every  direction, 
the  cocoa-nuts  waving  to  the  wind — imagined  even  that 
she  saw  her  own  Philip  in  the  distance  hastening  to  her ; 
she  held  out  her  arms  ;  strove  to  get  up,  and  run  to  meet 
him,  but  her  limbs  refused  their  office  ;  she  called  to  him, 
she  screamed,  and  sank  back  exhausted  on  her  resting- 
place. 


Chapter  XXVI 

We  must  for  a  time  return  to  Philip,  and  follow  hi« 
strange  destiny.  A  few  hours  after  he  had  thrown  the 
pilot  into  the  sea  they  gained  the  shore,  so  long  looked 
at  with  anxiety  and  suspense.  The  spars  of  the  raft, 
jerked  by  the  running  swell,  undulated  and  rubbed  against 
each  other,  as  they  rose  and  fell  to  the  waves  breaking 
on  the  beach.  The  breeze  was  fresh,  but  the  surf  was 
trifling,  and  the  landing  was  without  difficulty.  The 
beach  was  shelving,  of  firm  white  sand,  interspersed  and 
strewed  with  various  brilliant-coloured  shells  5  and  here 
and  there,  the  bleached  fragments  and  bones  of  some 
animal  which  had  been  forced  out  of  its  element  to  die. 
The  island  was,  like  all  the  others,  covered  with  a  thick 
wood  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  whose  tops  waved  to  the  breeze, 
or  bowed  to  the  blast,  producing  a  shade  and  a  freshness 
which  would  have  been  duly  appreciated  by  any  other 
party  than  the  present,  with  the  exception  only  of  Krantz ; 
for  Philip  thought  of  nothing  but  his  lost  wife,  and  the 
seamen  thought  of  nothing  but  of  their  sudden  wealth. 
Krantz  supported  Philip  to  the  beach  and  led  him  to  the 
shade  ;  but  after  a  minute  he  rose,  and  running  down  to 
the  nearest  point,  looked  anxiously  for  the  portion  of  the 
raft  which  held  Amine,  which  was  now  far,  far  away. 
Krantz  had  followed,  aware  that,  now  the  first  paroxysms 


The  Phantom  Ship  271 

were  past,  there  was  no  fear  of  Philip's  throwing  away  his 
life. 

"  Gone,  gone  for  ever  !  "  exclaimed  Philip,  pressing  his 
hands  to  the  balls  of  his  eyes. 

"  Not  so,  Philip,  the  same  Providence  which  has  pre- 
served us,  will  certainly  assist  her.  It  is  impossible  that 
she  can  perish  among  so  many  islands,  many  of  which  are 
inhabited  ;  and  a  woman  will  be  certain  of  kind  treat- 
ment." 

"  If  I  could  only  think  so,"  replied  Philip. 

"  A  little  reflection  may  induce  you  to  think  that  it 
is  rather  an  advantage  than  otherwise,  that  she  is  thus 
separated — not  from  you,  but  from  so  many  lawless  com- 
panions, whose  united  force  we  could  not  resist.  Do  you 
think  that,  after  any  lengthened  sojourn  on  this  island, 
these  people  with  us  would  permit  you  to  remain  in  quiet 
possession  of  your  wife  ?  No  ! — they  would  respect  no 
laws  ;  and  Amine  has,  in  my  opinion,  been  miraculously 
preserved  from  shame  and  ill-treatment,  if  not  from 
death." 

**  They  durst  not,  surely  !  Well,  but  Krantz,  we  must 
make  a  raft  and  follow  her ;  we  must  not  remain  here — 
I  will  seek  her  through  the  wide  world." 

"Be  it  so,  if  you  wish,  Philip,  and  I  will  follow  your 
fortunes,"  replied  Krantz,  glad  to  find  that  there  was 
something,  however  wild  the  idea,  for  his  mind  to  feed 
on.  "  But  now  let  us  return  to  the  raft,  seek  the  refresh- 
ment we  so  much  require,  and  after  that  we  will  consider 
what  may  be  the  best  plan  to  pursue." 

To  this,  Philip,  who  was  much  exhausted,  tacitly  con- 
sented, and  he  followed  Krantz  to  where  the  raft  had  been 
beached.  The  men  had  left  it,  and  were  each  of  them 
sitting  apart  from  one  another  under  the  shade  of  his  own 
chosen  cocoa-nut  tree.  The  articles  which  had  been  saved 
on  the  raft  had  not  been  landed,  and  Krantz  called  upon 
them  to  come  and  carry  the  things  on  shore — but  no  one 
would  answer  or  obey.  They  each  sat  watching  their 
jnoney,  and  afraid  to  leave  it,  lest  they  should  be  dis- 


272  The  Phantom  Ship 

possessed  of  it  by  the  others.  Now  that  their  lives  were, 
comparatively  speaking,  safe,  the  demon  of  avarice  had 
taken  full  possession  of  their  souls  ;  there  they  sat,  ex- 
hausted, pining  for  water,  and  longing  for  sleep,  and  yet 
they  dared  not  move — they  were  fixed  as  if  by  the  wand 
of  the  enchanter. 

**  It  is  the  cursed  dollars  which  have  turned  their 
brains,"  observed  Krantz  to  Philip ;  "  let  us  try  if  we 
cannot  manage  to  remove  what  we  most  stand  in  need  of, 
and  then  we  will  search  for  water." 

Philip  and  Krantz  collected  the  carpenter's  tools,  the 
best  arms,  and  all  the  ammunition,  as  the  possession  of  the 
latter  would  give  them  advantage  in  case  of  necessity  ;  they 
then  dragged  on  shore  the  sail  and  some  small  spars,  all  of 
which  they  carried  up  to  a  clump  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  about 
a  hundred  yards  from  the  beach. 

In  half  an  hour  they  had  erected  an  humble  tent,  and 
put  into  it  what  they  had  brought  with  them,  with  the 
exception  of  the  major  part  of  the  ammunition,  which,  as 
soon  as  he  was  screened  by  the  tent,  Krantz  buried  in  a 
heap  of  dry  sand  behind  it ;  he  then,  for  their  immediate 
wants,  cut  down  with  an  axe  a  small  cocoa-nut  tree  in  full 
bearing.  It  must  be  for  those  who  have  suffered  the  agony 
of  prolonged  thirst,  to  know  the  extreme  pleasure  with 
which  the  milk  of  the  nuts  were  one  after  the  other  poured 
down  the  parched  throats  of  Krantz  and  Philip.  The  men 
witnessed  their  enjoyment  in  silence,  and  with  gloating 
eyes.  Every  time  that  a  fresh  cocoa-nut  was  seized  and  its 
contents  quaffed  by  their  officers,  more  sharp  and  agonising 
was  their  own  devouring  thirst — still  closer  did  their  dry 
lips  glue  themselves  together — yet  they  moved  not, 
although  they  felt  the  tortures  of  the  condemned. 

Evening  closed  in ;  Philip  had  thrown  himself  down  on 
the  spare  sails,  and  had  fallen  asleep,  when  Krantz  set  off 
to  explore  the  island  upon  which  they  had  been  thrown. 
It  was  small,  not  exceeding  three  miles  in  length,  and  at 
no  one  part  more  than  five  hundred  yards  across.  "Water 
there  was  none,  unless  it  were  to  be  obtained  by  digging  j 


The  Phantom  Ship  'i']'^ 

fortunately  the  young  cocoa-nuts  prevented  the  absolute 
necessity  for  it.  On  his  return,  Krantz  passed  the  men  in 
their  respective  stations.  Each  was  awake,  and  raised 
himself  on  his  elbow  to  ascertain  if  it  were  an  assailant ; 
but  perceiving  Krantz,  they  again  dropped  down.  Krantz 
passed  the  raft — the  water  was  now  quite  smooth,  for  the 
wind  had  shifted  off  shore,  and  the  spars  which  composed 
the  raft  hardly  jostled  each  other.  He  stepped  upon  it, 
and,  as  the  moon  was  bright  in  the  heavens,  he  took  the 
precaution  of  collecting  all  the  arms  which  had  been  left, 
and  throwing  them  as  far  as  he  could  into  the  sea.  He 
then  walked  to  the  tent,  where  he  found  PhiHp  still  sleep- 
ing soundly,  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  reposing  by  his 
side.  And  Philip's  dreams  were  of  Amine ;  he  thought 
that  he  saw  the  hated  Schriften  rise  again  from  the  waters, 
and,  climbing  up  to  the  raft,  seat  himself  by  her  side.  He 
thought  that  he  again  heard  his  unearthly  chuckle  and  his 
scornful  laugh,  as  his  unwelcome  words  fell  upon  her  dis- 
tracted ears.  He  thought  that  she  fled  into  the  sea  to  avoid 
Schriften,  and  that  the  waters  appeared  to  reject  her — she 
floated  on  the  surface.  The  storm  rose,  and  once  more 
he  beheld  her  in  the  sea-shell  skimming  over  the  waves. 
Again,  she  was  in  a  furious  surf  on  the  beach,  and  her 
shell  sank,  and  she  was  buried  in  the  waves ;  and  then  he 
saw  her  walking  on  shore  without  fear  and  without  harm, 
for  the  water  which  spared  no  one,  appeared  to  spare  her. 
Philip  tried  to  join  her,  but  was  prevented  by  some  un- 
known power,  and  Amine  waved  her  hand  and  said,  "  We 
shall  meet  again,  Philip ;  yes,  once  more  on  this  earth  shall 
we  meet  again." 

The  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens  and  scorching  in  his 
heat,  when  Krantz  first  opened  his  eyes,  and  awakened 
Philip.  The  axe  again  procured  for  them  their  morning's 
meal.  Philip  was  silent ;  he  was  ruminating  upon  his 
dreams,  which  had  afforded  him  consolation.  "  We  shall 
meet  again  !  "  thought  he.  "  Yes,  once  more  at  least  we 
shall  meet  again.     Providence  !     I  thank  thee." 

Krantz  then  stepped  out  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the 
p.s.  s 


274  '^^^  Phantom  Ship 

men.  He  found  them  faint,  and  so  exhausted,  that  they 
could  not  possibly  survive  much  longer,  yet  still  watching 
over  their  darling  treasure.  It  was  melancholy  to  witness 
such  perversion  of  intellect,  and  Krantz  thought  of  a  plan 
which  might  save  their  lives.  He  proposed  to  them  each 
separately,  that  they  should  bury  their  money  so  deep,  that 
it  was  not  to  be  recovered  without  time  :  this  would  prevent 
any  one  from  attacking  the  treasure  of  the  other,  without 
its  being  perceived  and  the  attempt  frustrated,  and  would 
enable  them  to  obtain  their  necessary  food  and  refreshment 
without  danger  of  being  robbed. 

To  this  plan  they  acceded.  Krantz  brought  out  of  the 
tent  the  only  shovel  in  their  possession,  and  they,  one  by 
one,  buried  their  dollars  many  feet  deep  in  the  yielding 
sand.  When  they  had  all  secured  their  wealth,  he  brought 
them  one  of  the  axes,  and  the  cocoa-nut  trees  fell,  and  they 
were  restored  to  new  life  and  vigour.  Having  satiated 
themselves,  they  then  lay  down  upon  the  several  spots 
under  which  they  had  buried  their  dollars,  and  were  soon 
enjoying  that  repose  which  they  all  so  much  needed. 

Philip  and  Krantz  had  now  many  serious  consultations 
as  to  the  means  which  should  be  taken  for  quitting  the 
island,  and  going  in  search  of  Amine ;  for  although  Krantz 
thought  the  latter  part  of  Philip's  proposal  useless,  he 
did  not  venture  to  say  so.  To  quit  this  island  was 
necessary ;  and  provided  they  gained  one  of  those  which 
were  inhabited,  it  was  all  that  they  could  expect.  As 
for  Amine,  he  considered  that  she  was  dead  before  this, 
either  having  been  washed  off  the  raft,  or  that  her  body 
was  lying  on  it  exposed  to  the  decomposing  heat  of  a 
torrid  sun. 

To  cheer  Philip,  he  expressed  himself  otherwise ;  and 
whenever  they  talked  about  leaving  the  island,  it  was  not 
to  save  their  own  lives,  but  invariably  to  search  after 
Philip's  lost  wife.  The  plan  which  they  proposed  and 
acted  upon  was,  to  construct  a  light  raft,  the  centre  to 
be  composed  of  three  water-casks,  sawed  in  half,  in  a 
row  behind  each  other,  firmly  fixed  by  cross  pieces   to 


The  Phantom  Ship  275 

two  long  spars  on  each  side.  This,  under  sail,  would 
move  quickly  through  the  water,  and  be  manageable  so 
as  to  enable  them  to  steer  a  course.  The  outside  spars 
had  been  selected  and  hauled  on  shore,  and  the  work 
was  already  in  progress ;  but  they  were  left  alone  in 
their  work,  for  the  seamen  appeared  to  have  no  idea  at 
present  of  quitting  the  island.  Restored  by  food  and 
repose,  they  were  not  content  with  the  money  which 
they  had — they  were  anxious  for  more.  A  portion  of 
each  party's  wealth  had  been  dug  up,  and  they  now 
gambled  all  day  with  pebbles,  which  they  had  collected 
on  the  beach,  and  with  which  they  had  invented  a  game. 
Another  evil  had  crept  among  them :  they  had  cut  steps 
in  the  largest  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  with  the  activity  of 
seamen  had  mounted  them,  and  by  tapping  the  top  of 
the  trees,  and  fixing  empty  cocoa-nuts  underneath,  had 
obtained  the  liquor,  which  in  its  first  fermentation  is 
termed  toddy,  and  is  afterwards  distilled  into  arrack. 
But  as  toddy,  it  is  quite  sufficient  to  intoxicate  5  and 
every  day  the  scenes  of  violence  and  intoxication,  accom- 
panied with  oaths  and  execrations,  became  more  and 
more  dreadful.  The  losers  tore  their  hair,  and  rushed 
like  madmen  upon  those  who  had  gained  their  dollars; 
but  Krantz  had  fortunately  thrown  their  weapons  into 
the  sea,  and  those  he  had  saved,  as  well  as  the  ammunition, 
he  had  secreted. 

Blows  and  bloodshed,  therefore,  were  continual,  but 
loss  of  life  there  was  none,  as  the  contending  parties  were 
separated  by  the  others,  who  were  anxious  that  the  play 
should  not  be  interrupted.  Such  had  been  the  state  of 
affairs  for  now  nearly  a  fortnight,  while  the  work  of 
the  raft  had  slowly  proceeded.  Some  of  the  men  had 
lost  their  all,  and  had,  by  the  general  consent  of  those 
who  had  won  their  wealth,  been  banished  to  a  certain 
distance  that  they  might  not  pilfer  from  them.  These 
walked  gloomily  round  the  island,  or  on  the  beach, 
seeking  some  instrument  by  which  they  might  avenge 
themselves,    and    obtain    repossession    of    their    money. 


276  The  Phantom  Ship 

Krantz  and  Philip  had  proposed  to  these  men  to  join 
them,  and  leave  the  island,  but  they  had  sullenly- 
refused. 

The  axe  was  now  never  parted  with  by  Krantz.  He 
cut  down  what  cocoa-nut  trees  they  required  for  sub- 
sistence, and  prevented  the  men  from  notching  more 
trees,  to  procure  the  means  of  inebriation.  On  the 
sixteenth  day,  all  the  money  had  passed  into  the  hands 
of  three  men  who  had  been  more  fortunate  than  the 
rest.  The  losers  were  now  by  far  the  more  numerous 
party,  and  the  consequence  was,  that  the  next  morning 
these  three  men  were  found  lying  strangled  on  the  beach ; 
the  money  had  been  redivided,  and  the  gambling  had 
recommenced  with  more  vigour  than  ever. 

*'How  can  this  end.**"  exclaimed  Philip  to  Krantz, 
as  he  looked  upon  the  blackened  countenances  of  the 
murdered  men. 

"  In  the  death  of  all,"  replied  Krantz.  "  We  cannot 
prevent  it.     It  is  a  judgment." 

The  raft  was  now  ready ;  the  sand  had  been  dug  from 
beneath  it,  so  as  to  allow  the  water  to  flow  in  and  float 
it,  and  it  was  now  made  fast  to  a  stake,  and  riding  on 
the  peaceful  waters.  A  large  store  of  cocoa-nuts,  old 
and  young,  had  been  procured  and  put  on  board  of  her, 
and  it  was  the  intention  of  Philip  and  Krantz  to  have 
quitted  the  island  the  next  day. 

Unfortunately,  one  of  the  men,  when  bathing,  had 
perceived  the  arms  lying  in  the  shallow  water.  He  had 
dived  down  and  procured  a  cutlass ;  others  had  followed 
his  example,  and  all  had  armed  themselves.  This  induced 
Philip  and  Krantz  to  sleep  on  board  of  the  raft,  and 
keep  watch ;  and  that  night,  as  the  play  was  going  on, 
a  heavy  loss  on  one  side  ended  in  a  general  fray.  The 
combat  was  furious,  for  all  were  more  or  less  excited  by 
intoxication.  The  result  was  melancholy,  for  only  three 
were  left  alive.  Philip,  with  Krantz,  watched  the  issue ; 
every  man  who  fell  wounded  was  put  to  the  sword, 
and  the  three  left,  who  had  been  fighting  on  the  same 


The  Phantom  Ship       *  277 

side,  rested  panting  on  their  weapons.  After  a  pause, 
two  of  them  communicated  with  each  other,  and  the 
result  was  an  attack  upon  the  third  man,  who  fell  dead 
beneath  their  blows. 

"  Merciful  Father  !  are  these  Thy  creatures  ? "  exclaimed 
Philip. 

"No!"  replied  Krantz,  "they  worshipped  the  devil 
as  Mammon.  Do  you  imagine  that  those  two,  who 
could  now  divide  more  wealth  than  they  could  well 
spend  if  they  return  to  their  country,  will  consent  to 
a  division  ?    Never  ! — they  must  have  all — yes,  all." 

Krantz  had  hardly  expressed  his  opinion,  when  one  of 
the  men,  taking  advantage  of  the  other  turning  round  a 
moment  from  him,  passed  his  sword  through  his  back. 
The  man  fell  with  a  groan,  and  the  sword  was  again 
passed  through  his  body. 

"  Said  I  not  so  ?  But  the  treacherous  villain  shall  not 
reap  his  reward,"  continued  Krantz,  levelling  the  musket 
which  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  shooting  him  dead. 

"  You  have  done  wrong,  Krantz ;  you  have  saved  him 
from  the  punishment  he  deserved.  Left  alone  on  the 
island,  without  the  means  of  obtaining  his  subsistence,  he 
must  have  perished  miserably  and  by  inches,  with  all  his 
money  round  him — that  would  have  been  torture  indeed  !  " 

"Perhaps  I  was  wrong.  If  so,  may  Providence  forgive 
me,  I  could  not  help  it.  Let  us  go  ashore,  for  we  are 
now  on  this  island  alone.  We  must  collect  the  treasure 
and  bury  it,  so  that  it  may  be  recovered ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  take  a  portion  with  us — for  who  knows  but  that  we 
may  have  occasion  for  it.  To-morrow  we  had  better 
remain  here,  for  we  shall  have  enough  to  do  in  burying 
the  bodies  of  these  infatuated  men,  and  the  wealth  which 
has  caused  their  destruction." 

Philip  agreed  to  the  propriety  of  the  suggestion ;  the 
next  day  they  buried  the  bodies  where  they  lay ;  and  the 
treasure  was  all  collected  in  a  deep  trench,  under  a  cocoa- 
nut  tree,  which  they  carefully  marked  with  their  axe. 
About  five  hundred  pieces  of  gold  were  selected  and  taken 


278  The  Phantom  Ship 

on  board  of  the  raft,  with  the  intention  of  secreting  them 
about  their  persons,  and  resorting  to  them  in  case  of  need. 
The  following  morning  they  hoisted  their  sail  and 
quitted  the  island.  Need  it  be  said  in  what  direction  they 
steered  ?  As  may  be  well  imagined,  in  that  quarter  where 
they  had  last  seen  the  raft  with  the  isolated  Amine. 


Chapter  XXVII 

The  raft  was  found  to  answer  well ;  and  although  her 
progress  through  the  water  was  not  very  rapid,  she 
obeyed  the  helm  and  was  under  command.  Both  Philip 
and  Krantz  were  very  careful  in  taking  such  marks  and 
observations  of  the  island  as  should  enable  them,  if 
necessary,  to  find  it  again.  With  the  current  to  assist 
them,  they  now  proceeded  rapidly  to  the  southward,  in 
order  that  they  might  examine  a  large  island  which  lay  in 
that  direction.  Their  object,  after  seeking  for  Amine, 
was  to  find  out  the  direction  of  Ternate  ;  the  king  of 
which  they  knew  to  be  at  variance  with  the  Portuguese, 
who  had  a  fort  and  factory  at  Tidore,  not  very  far  distant 
from  it ;  and  from  thence  to  obtain  a  passage  in  one  of  the 
Chinese  junks,  which,  on  their  way  to  Bantam,  called  at 
that  island. 

Towards  evening  they  had  neared  the  large  island,  and 
they  soon  ran  down  it  close  to  the  beach.  Philip's  eyes 
wandered  in  every  direction  to  ascertain  whether  anything 
on  the  shore  indicated  the  presence  of  Amine's  raft,  but  he 
could  perceive  nothing  of  the  kind,  nor  did  he  see  any 
inhabitants. 

That  they  might  not  pass  the  object  of  their  search 
during  the  night,  they  ran  their  raft  on  shore,  in  a  small 
cove,  where  the  waters  were  quite  smooth,  and  remained 
there  until  the  next  morning,  when  they  again  made  sail 
and  prosecuted  their  voyage.  Krantz  was  steering  with 
the  long  sweep  they  had  fitted  for  the  purpose,  when  he 
observed  Philip,  who  had  been  for  some  time  silent,  take 


The  Phantom  Ship  279 

from  his  breast  the  rehc  which  he  wore,  and  gaze  atten- 
tively upon  it. 

"  Is  that  your  picture,  Philip  ?  "  observed  Krantz. 

"  Alas  !  No,  it  is  my  destiny,"  replied  Philip,  answering 
without  reflection. 

*'  Your  destiny  !     What  mean  you  ? " 

"  Did  I  say  my  destiny  ?  I  hardly  know  what  I  said," 
replied  Philip,  replacing  the  relic  in  his  bosom. 

"  I  rather  think  you  said  more  than  you  intended," 
replied  Krantz,  *'  but  at  the  same  time,  something  near  the 
truth.  I  have  often  perceived  you  with  that  trinket  in 
your  hand,  and  I  have  not  forgotten  how  anxious  Schriften 
was  to  obtain  it,  and  the  consequences  of  his  attempt  upon 
it.  Is  there  not  some  secret — some  mystery  attached  to  it  ? 
Surely,  if  so,  you  must  now  sufficiently  know  me  as  your 
friend,  to  feel  me  worthy  of  your  confidence." 

"  That  you  are  my  friend,  Krantz,  I  feel — my  sincere 
and  much  valued  friend,  for  we  have  shared  much  danger 
together,  and  that  is  sufficient  to  make  us  friends — that  I 
could  trust  you,  I  believe,  but  I  feel  as  if  I  dare  not  trust 
anyone.  There  is  a  mystery  attached  to  this  relic  (for  a 
relic  it  is),  which  as  yet  has  been  confided  to  my  wife  and 
holy  men  alone." 

"  And  if  trusted  to  holy  men,  surely  it  may  be  trusted 
to  sincere  friendship,  than  which  nothing  is  more  holy." 

"  But  I  have  a  presentiment  that  the  knowledge  of  my 
secret  would  prove  fatal  to  you.  Why  I  feel  such  a 
presentiment  I  know  not ;  but  I  feel  it,  Krantz  ;  and  I 
cannot  afford  to  lose  you,  my  valued  friend." 

"  You  will  not,  then,  make  use  of  my  friendship,  it 
appears,"  replied  Krantz.  "  I  have  risked  my  life  with 
you  before  now,  and  I  am  not  to  be  deterred  from  the 
duties  of  friendship  by  a  childish  foreboding  on  your 
part,  the  result  of  an  agitated  mind  and  a  weakened 
body.  Can  anything  be  more  absurd  than  to  suppose, 
that  a  secret  confided  to  me  can  be  pregnant  with  danger, 
unless  it  be,  indeed,  that  my  zeal  to  assist  you  may  lead 
me  into  difficulties.     I  am  not  of  a  prying   disposition; 


28o  The  Phantom  Ship 

but  we  have  been  so  long  connected  together,  and  are 
now  so  isolated  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  that  it  appears 
to  me  it  would  be  a  solace  to  you,  were  you  to  confide 
in  one  whom  you  can  trust,  what  evidently  has  long 
preyed  upon  your  mind.  The  consolation  and  advice  of 
a  friend,  Philip,  are  not  to  be  despised,  and  you  will 
feel  relieved  if  able  to  talk  over  with  him  a  subject  which 
evidently  oppresses  you.  If,  therefore,  you  value  my 
friendship,  let  me  share  with  you  in  your  sorrows." 

There  are  few  who  have  passed  through  life  so  quietly, 
as  not  to  recollect  how  much  grief  has  been  assuaged  by 
confiding  its  cause  to,  and  listening  to  the  counsels  and 
consolations  of,  some  dear  friend.  It  must  not  therefore 
appear  surprising,  that,  situated  as  he  was,  and  oppressed 
with  the  loss  of  Amine,  Philip  should  regard  Krantz  as 
one  to  whom  he  might  venture  to  confide  his  important 
secret.  He  commenced  his  narrative  with  no  injunctions, 
for  he  felt  that  if  Krantz  could  not  respect  his  secret  for 
his  secret's  sake,  or  from  good-will  towards  him,  he  was 
not  likely  to  be  bound  by  any  promise ;  and  as,  during 
the  day,  the  raft  passed  by  the  various  small  capes  and 
headlands  of  the  island,  he  poured  into  Krantz's  ear  the 
history  which  the  reader  is  acquainted  with.  "  Now 
you  know  all,"  said  Philip  with  a  deep  sigh,  as  the 
narrative  was  concluded.  "  What  think  you  ?  Do  you 
credit  my  strange  tale,  or  do  you  imagine,  as  some  well 
would,  that  it  is  a  mere  phantom  of  a  disordered  brain  ? " 

**  That  it  is  not  so,  Philip,  I  believe,"  replied  Krantz  ; 
"  for  I  too  have  had  ocular  proof  of  the  correctness  of 
a  part  of  your  history.  Remember  how  often  I  have 
seen  this  Phantom  Ship — and  if  your  father  is  permitted 
to  range  over  the  seas,  why  should  you  not  be  selected 
and  permitted  to  reverse  his  doom  ?  I  fully  believe 
every  word  that  you  have  told  me,  and  since  you  have 
told  me  this,  I  can  comprehend  much  that  in  your  be- 
haviour at  times  appeared  unaccountable  -,  there  are  many 
who  would  pity  you,  Philip,  but  I  envy  you." 

"  Envy  me  ?  "  cried  Philip. 


The  Phantom  Ship  281 

"  Yes  !  envy  you  :  and  gladly  would  I  take  the  burden 
of  your  doom  on  my  own  shoulders,  were  it  only  possible. 
Is  it  not  a  splendid  thought  that  you  are  summoned  to 
so  great  a  purpose, — that  instead  of  roaming  through 
the  world  as  we  all  do  in  pursuit  of  wealth,  which 
possibly  we  may  lose  after  years  of  cost  and  hardship, 
by  the  venture  of  a  day,  and  which,  at  all  events,  we 
must  leave  behind  us, — you  are  selected  to  fulfil  a  great 
and  glorious  work — the  work  of  angels,  I  may  say — 
that  of  redeeming  the  soul  of  a  father,  suffering  indeed, 
for  his  human  frailties,  but  not  doomed  to  perish  for 
eternity  ;  you  have,  indeed,  an  object  of  pursuit  worthy 
of  all  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  a  maritime  life.  If 
it  ends  in  your  death,  what  then  ?  "Where  else  end 
our  futile  cravings,  our  continual  toil,  after  nothing  ? 
We  all  must  die — but  how  few — who  indeed  besides 
yourself — was  ever  permitted  before  his  death  to  ransom 
the  soul  of  the  author  of  his  existence !  Yes,  Philip, 
I  envy  you  !  " 

"  You  think  and  speak  like  Amine.  She  too  is  of 
a  wild  and  ardent  soul,  that  would  mingle  with  the 
beings  of  the  other  world,  and  hold  intelligence  with 
disembodied  spirits." 

"  She  is  right,"  replied  Krantz ;  "  there  are  events 
in  my  life,  or  rather  connected  with  my  family,  which 
have  often  fully  convinced  me  that  this  is  not  only  possible 
but  permitted.  Your  story  has  only  corroborated  what 
I  already  believed." 

**  Indeed!  Krantz?" 

"  Indeed,  yes  j  but  of  that  hereafter :  the  night  is 
closing  in,  we  must  again  put  our  little  bark  in  safety 
for  the  night,  and  there  is  a  cove  which  I  think  appears 
suited  for  the  purpose." 

Before  morning,  a  strong  breeze  right  on  shore  had 
sprung  up,  and  the  surf  became  so  high  as  to  en- 
danger the  raft ;  to  continue  their  course  was  impossible  ; 
they  could  only  haul  up  their  raft  to  prevent  its  being 
dashed  to  pieces  by  the  force  of  the  waves,  as  the  seas 


282  The  Phantom  Ship 

broke  on  the  shore.  Philip's  thoughts  were,  as  usual, 
upon  Amine,  and  as  he  watched  the  tossing  waters,  as 
the  sunbeams  lightened  up  their  crests,  he  exclaimed, 
"  Ocean !  hast  thou  my  Amine  ?  If  so,  give  up  thy 
dead !  What  is  that  ? "  continued  he,  pointing  to  a 
speck  on  the  horizon. 

"  The  sail  of  a  small  craft  of  some  description  or 
another,"  replied  Krantz  ;  "  and  apparently  coming  down 
before  the  wind  to  shelter  herself  in  the  very  nook  we 
have  selected." 

"  You  are  right ;  it  is  the  sail  of  a  vessel,  of  one  of 
those  peroquas  which  skim  over  these  seas  —  how  she 
rises  on  the  swell ! — she  is  full  of  men,  apparently." 

The  peroqua  rapidly  approached,  and  was  soon  close  to 
the  beach ;  the  sail  was  lowered,  and  she  was  backed  in 
through  the  surf. 

**  Resistance  is  useless  should  they  prove  enemies," 
observed  Philip.     "  We  shall  soon  know  our  fate." 

The  people  in  the  peroqua  took  no  notice  of  them,  until 
the  craft  had  been  hauled  up  and  secured ;  three  of  them 
then  advanced  towards  Philip  and  Krantz,  with  spears  in 
their  hands,  but  evidently  with  no  hostile  intentions.  One 
addressed  them  in  Portuguese,  asking  them  who  they 
were  ? 

"  We  are  Hollanders,"  replied  Philip. 

"A  part  of  the  crew  of  the  vessel  which  was  wrecked?" 
inquired  he. 

"  Yes !  " 

**  You  have  nothing  to  fear — you  are  enemies  to  the 
Portuguese,  and  so  are  we.  We  belong  to  the  island  of 
Ternate — our  king  is  at  war  with  the  Portuguese,  who 
are  villains.  Where  are  your  companions  ?  on  which 
island?" 

"  They  are  all  dead,"  replied  Philip ;  "  may  I  ask  you 
whether  you  have  fallen  in  with  a  woman,  who  was  adrift 
on  a  part  of  the  raft  by  herself?  or  have  you  heard  of 
her?" 

"  We  have  heard  that  a  woman  was  picked  up  on  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  283 

beach  to  the  southward,  and  carried  away  by  the  Tidore 
people  to  the  Portuguese  settlement,  on  the  supposition 
that  she  was  a  Portuguese." 

"Then  God  be  thanked,  she  is  saved,"  cried  Philip. 
"  Merciful  Heaven  !  accept  my  thanks. — To  Tidore  you 
said?" 

"  Yes ;  we  are  at  war  with  the  Portuguese,  we  cannot 
take  you  there." 

*'  No  !  but  we  shall  meet  again." 

The  person  who  accosted  them  was  evidently  of  some 
consequence.  His  dress  was,  to  a  certain  degree, 
Mahometan,  but  mixed  up  with  Malay — he  carried  arms  in 
his  girdle  and  a  spear  in  his  hand ;  his  turban  was  of 
printed  chintz ;  and  his  deportment,  like  most  persons  of 
rank  in  that  country,  was  courteous  and  dignified. 

"  We  are  now  returning  to  Ternate,  and  will  take  you 
with  us.  Our  king  will  be  pleased  to  receive  any 
Hollanders,  especially  as  you  are  enemies  to  the  Portuguese 
dogs.  I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  we  have  one  of  your 
companions  with  us  in  the  boat ;  we  picked  him  up  at  sea, 
much  exhausted,  but  he  is  now  doing  well." 

"Who  can  it  be  ?"  observed  Krantz,  "it  must  be  some 
one  belonging  to  some  other  vessel." 

"No,"^'replied  Philip,  shuddering,  "it  must  be  Schriften." 

"Then  my  eyes  must  behold  him  before  I  believe  it," 
replied  Krantz. 

"Then  believe  your  eyes,"  replied  Philip,  pointing  to  the 
form  of  Schriften,  who  was  now  walking  towards  them. 

"  Mynheer  Vanderdecken,  glad  to  see  you.  Mynheer 
Krantz,  I  hope  you  are  well.  How  lucky  that  we  should 
all  be  saved.     He  !  he  !  " 

"  The  ocean  has  then,  indeed,  given  up  its  dead,  as  I 
requested,"  thought  Philip. 

In  the  meantime,  Schriften,  without  making  any  re- 
ference to  the  way  in  which  they  had  so  unceremoniously 
parted  company,  addressed  Krantz  with  apparent  good- 
humour,  and  some  slight  tinge  of  sarcasm.  It  was  some 
time  before  Krantz  could  rid  himself  of  him. 


284  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  What  think  you  of  him,  Krantz  ?  " 

"  That  he  is  a  part  of  the  whole,  and  has  his  destiny  to 
fulfil  as  well  as  you.  He  has  his  part  to  play  in  this 
wondrous  mystery,  and  will  remain  until  it  is  finished. 
Think  not  of  him.     Recollect,  your  Amine  is  safe." 

"True,"  replied  Philip,  "the  wretch  is  not  worth  a 
thought ;  we  have  now  nothing  to  do  but  to  embark  with 
these  people ;  hereafter  we  may  rid  ourselves  of  him,  and 
strive  then  to  rejoin  my  dearest  Amine." 

Chapter  XXVIII 

When  Amine  again  came  to  her  senses,  she  found  herself 
lying  on  the  leaves  of  the  palmetto,  in  a  small  hut.  A 
hideous  black  child  sat  by  her,  brushing  off  the  flies. 
Where  was  she  ? 

The  raft  had  been  tossed  about  for  two  days,  during 
which  Amine  remained  in  a  state  of  alternate  delirium  and 
stupor.  Driven  by  the  current  and  the  gale,  it  had  been 
thrown  on  shore  on  the  eastern  end  of  the  coast  of  New 
Guinea.  She  had  been  discovered  by  some  of  the  natives, 
who  happened  to  be  on  the  beach  trafficking  with  some  of 
the  Tidore  people.  At  first,  they  hastened  to  rid  her  of 
her  garments,  although  they  perceived  that  she  was  not 
dead ;  but  before  they  had  left  her  as  naked  as  themselves, 
a  diamond  of  great  value,  which  had  been  given  to  her  by 
Philip,  attracted  the  attention  of  one  of  the  savages ;  failing 
in  his  attempt  to  pull  it  off,  he  pulled  out  a  rusty,  blunt 
knife,  and  was  busily  sawing  at  the  finger,  when  an  old 
woman  of  authority  interfered  and  bade  him  desist.  The 
Tidore  people,  also,  who  were  friends  with  the  Portuguese, 
pointed  out,  that  to  save  one  of  that  nation  would  ensure  a 
reward ;  they  stated  moreover,  that  they  would,  on  their 
return,  inform  the  people  of  the  factory  establishment  that 
one  of  their  country-women  had  been  thrown  on  shore  on 
a  raft. — To  this  Amine  owed  the  care  and  attention  that 
was  paid  to  her;  that  part  of  New  Guinea  being  some- 


The  Phantom  Ship  285 

what  civilised  by  occasional  intercourse  with  the  Tidore 
people,  who  came  there  to  exchange  European  finery  and 
trash  for  the  more  useful  productions  of  the  island. 

The  Papoos  woman  carried  Amine  into  her  hut,  and 
there  she  lay  for  many  days,  wavering  between  life  and 
death,  carefully  attended,  but  requiring  little,  except  the 
moistening  of  her  parched  lips  with  water,  and  the 
brushing  oiFof  the  mosquitoes  and  flies. 

When  Amine  opened  her  eyes,  the  little  Papoos  ran  out 
to  acquaint  the  woman  who  followed  her  into  the  hut. 
She  was  of  large  size,  very  corpulent  and  unwieldy,  with 
little  covering  on  her  body  ;  her  hair,  which  was  woolly  in 
its  texture,  was  partly  parted,  partly  frizzled ;  a  cloth 
round  her  waist,  and  a  piece  of  faded  yellow  silk  on  her 
shoulders,  was  all  her  dress.  A  few  silver  rings  on  her 
fat  fingers,  and  a  necklace  of  mother-of-pearl,  were  her 
ornaments.  Her  teeth  were  jet  black,  from  the  use  of  the 
betel-nut,  and  her  whole  appearance  was  such  as  to  excite 
disgust  in  the  breast  of  Amine. 

She  addressed  Amine,  but  her  words  were  unintelligible  : 
and  the  sufferer,  exhausted  with  the  slight  effort  she  had 
made,  fell  back  into  her  former  position,  and  closed  her 
eyes.  But  if  the  woman  was  disgusting,  she  was  kind ; 
and  by  her  attention  and  care  Amine  was  able,  in  the 
course  of  three  weeks,  to  crawl  out  of  the  hut  and  enjoy 
the  evening  breeze.  The  natives  of  the  island  would  at 
times  surround  her,  but  they  treated  her  with  respect, 
from  fear  of  the  old  woman.  Their  woolly  hair  was 
frizzled  or  plaited,  sometimes  powdered  white  with 
chunam.  A  few  palmetto  leaves  round  the  waist  and 
descending  to  the  knee,  was  their  only  attire ;  rings 
through  the  nose  and  ears,  and  feathers  of  birds, 
particularly  the  bird  of  paradise,  were  their  ornaments  : 
but  their  language  was  wholly  unintelligble.  Amine  felt 
grateful  for  life  ;  she  sat  under  the  shade  of  the  trees,  and 
watched  the  swift  peroquas  as  they  skimmed  the  blue  sea 
which  was  expanded  before  her ;  but  her  thoughts  were 
elsewhere — they  were  on  Philip. 


286  The  Phantom  Ship 

One  morning  Amine  came  out  of  the  hut,  with  joy  on 
her  countenance,  and  took  her  usual  seat  under  the  trees. 
**  Yes,  mother,  dearest  mother,  I  thank  thee ;  thou  hast 
appeared  to  me  j  thou  hast  recalled  to  me  thy  arts,  which  I 
had  forgotten,  and  had  I  but  the  means  of  conversing  with 
these  people,  even  now  would  I  know  where  my  Philip 
might  be." 

For  two  months  did  Amine  remain  under  the  care  of  the 
Papoos  woman.  When  the  Tidore  people  returned,  they 
had  an  order  to  bring  the  white  woman,  who  had  been 
cast  on  shore,  to  the  Factory,  and  repay  those  who  had 
taken  charge  of  her.  They  made  signs  to  Amine,  who 
had  now  quite  recovered  her  beauty,  that  she  was  to  go 
with  them.  Any  change  was  preferable  to  staying  where 
she  was,  and  Amine  followed  them  down  to  a  peroqua,  on 
which  she  was  securely  fixed,  and  was  soon  darting 
through  the  water  with  her  new  companions  •,  and,  as 
they  flew  along  the  smooth  seas.  Amine  thought  of  Philip's 
dream  and  the  mermaid's  shell. 

By  the  evening  they  had  arrived  at  the  southern  point 
of  Galolo,  where  they  landed  for  the  night ;  the  next  day 
they  gained  the  place  of  their  destination,  and  Amine  was 
led  up  to  the  Portuguese  factory. 

That  the  curiosity  of  those  who  were  stationed  there 
was  roused  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  the  history  given  by 
the  natives  of  Amine's  escape  appeared  so  miraculous. 
From  the  Commandant  to  the  lowest  servant,  every  one 
was  waiting  to  receive  her.  The  beauty  of  Amine,  her 
perfect  form,  astonished  them.  The  Commandant 
addressed  a  long  compliment  to  her  in  Portuguese,  and 
was  astonished  that  she  did  not  make  a  suitable  reply ;  but 
as  Amine  did  not  understand  a  word  that  he  said,  it 
would  have  been  more  surprising  if  she  had. 

As  Amine  made  signs  that  she  could  not  understand  the 
language,  it  was  presumed  that  she  was  either  English  or 
Dutch,  and  an  interpreter  was  sent  for.  She  then 
explained  that  she  was  the  wife  of  a  Dutch  captain,  whose 
vessel   had  been  wrecked,  and  that    she  did  not   know 


The  Phantom  Ship  287 

whether  the  crew  had  been  saved  or  not.  The  Portuguese 
were  very  glad  to  hear  that  a  Dutch  vessel  had  been 
wrecked,  and  very  glad  that  so  lovely  a  creature  as  Amine 
had  been  saved.  She  was  informed  by  the  Commandant 
that  she  was  welcome,  and  that  during  her  stay  there 
everything  should  be  done  to  make  her  comfortable ;  that 
in  three  months  they  expected  a  vessel  from  the  Chinese 
seas,  proceeding  to  Goa,  and  that,  if  inclined,  she  should 
have  a  passage  to  Goa  in  that  vessel,  and  from  that  city 
she  would  easily  find  other  vessels  to  take  her  wherever 
she  might  please  to  go  ;  she  was  then  conducted  to  an 
apartment,  and  left  with  a  little  negress  to  attend  upon  her. 

The  Portuguese  Commandant  was  a  small,  meagre, 
little  man,  dried  up  to  a  chip,  from  long  sojourning  under 
a  tropical  sun.  He  had  very  large  whiskers,  and  a  very 
long  sword ;  these  were  the  two  most  remarkable  features 
in  his  person  and  dress. 

His  attentions  could  not  be  misinterpreted,  and  Amine 
would  have  laughed  at  him,  had  she  not  been  fearful 
that  she  might  be  detained.  In  a  few  weeks,  by  due 
attention,  she  gained  the  Portuguese  language  so  far  as 
to  ask  for  what  she  required,  and  before  she  quitted  the 
island  of  Tidore  she  could  converse  fluently.  But  her 
anxiety  to  leave,  and  to  ascertain  what  had  become  of 
Philip,  became  greater  every  day  j  and  at  the  expiration 
of  the  three  months,  her  eyes  were  continually  bent  to 
seaward,  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  the  vessel  which 
was  expected.  At  last  it  appeared,  and  as  Amine  watched 
the  approach  of  the  canvas  from  the  west,  the  Com- 
mandant fell  on  his  knees,  and  declaring  his  passion, 
requested  her  not  to  think  of  departure,  but  to  unite  her 
fate  with  his. 

Amine  was  cautious  in  her  reply,  for  she  knew  that 
she  was  in  his  power.  "  She  must  first  receive  in- 
telhgence  of  her  husband's  death,  which  was  not  yet 
certain ;  she  would  proceed  to  Goa,  and  if  she  discovered 
that  she  was  single,  she  would  write  to  him." 

This  answer,  as  it  will  be  discovered,  was  the  cause 


288  The  Phantom  Ship 

of  great  suffering  to  Philip :  the  Commandant,  fully- 
assured  that  he  could  compass  Philip's  death,  was  satisfied 
— declared  that,  as  soon  as  he  had  any  positive  intelligence, 
he  would  bring  it  to  Goa  himself,  and  made  a  thousand 
protestations  of  truth  and  fidelity. 

"  Fool ! "  thought  Amine,  as  she  watched  the  ship,^ 
which  was  now  close  to  the  anchorage. 

In  half-an-hour  the  vessel  had  anchored,  and  the  people 
had  landed.  Amine  observed  a  priest  with  them,  as  they 
walked  up  to  the  fort.  She  shuddered — she  knew  not 
why ;  when  they  arrived,  she  found  herself  in  the  presence 
of  Father  Mathias. 


Chapter  XXIX 

Both  Amine  and  Father  Mathias  started,  and  drew  back 
with  surprise  at  this  unexpected  meeting.  Amine  was 
the  first  to  extend  her  hand  ;  she  had  almost  forgotten 
at  the  moment  how  they  had  parted,  in  the  pleasure  she 
experienced  in  meeting  with  a  well-known  face. 

Father  Mathias  coldly  took  her  hand,  and  laying  his 
own  upon  her  head,  said :  **  May  God  bless  thee,  and 
forgive  thee,  my  daughter,  as  I  have  long  done."  Then 
the  recollection  of  what  had  passed,  rushed  into  Amine's 
mind,  and  she  coloured  deeply. 

Had  Father  Mathias  forgiven  her  ?  The  event  would 
show;  but  this  is  certain,  he  now  treated  her  as  an  old 
friend  :  listened  with  interest  to.  her  history  of  the  wreck, 
and  agreed  with  her  upon  the  propriety  of  her  accompany- 
ing him  to  Goa. 

In  a  few  days  the  vessel  sailed,  and  Amine  quitted 
the  Factory  and  its  enamoured  Commandant.  They  ran 
through  the  Archipelago  in  safety,  and  were  crossing 
the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  without  having  had 
any  interruption  to  fine  weather. 


The  Phantom  Ship  289 

Father  Mathias  had  returned  to  Lisbon,  when  he 
quitted  Ternicore,  and,  tired  of  idleness,  had  again 
volunteered  to  proceed  as  a  missionary  to  India.  He 
had  arrived  at  Formosa,  and  shortly  after  his  arrival, 
had  received  directions  from  his  superior  to  return  on 
important  business  to  Goa,  and  thus  it  was  that  he  fell 
in  with  Amine  at  Tidore. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  analyse  the  feelings  of  Father 
Mathias  towards  Amine — they  varied  so  often.  At  one 
moment,  he  would  call  to  mind  the  kindness  shown  to 
him  by  her  and  Philip — the  regard  he  had  for  the  husband, 
and  the  many  good  qualities  which  he  acknowledged  that 
she  possessed — and  noiju  he  would  recollect  the  disgrace, 
the  unmerited  disgrace,  he  had  suffered  through  her 
means  ;  and  he  would  then  canvass,  whether  she  really 
did  believe  him  an  intruder  in  her  chamber  for  other 
motives  than  those  which  actuated  him,  or  whether  she 
had  taken  advantage  of  his  indiscretion.  These  accounts 
were  nearly  balanced  in  his  mind ;  he  could  have  forgiven 
all,  if  he  had  thought  that  Amine  was  a  sincere  convert 
to  the  church ;  but  his  strong  conviction  that  she  was 
not  only  an  unbeliever,  but  that  she  practised  forbidden 
arts,  turned  the  scale  against  her.  He  watched  her 
narrowly,  and  when,  in  her  conversation,  she  shewed 
any  religious  feeling,  his  heart  warmed  towards  her ; 
but  when,  on  the  contrary,  any  words  escaped  her  lips 
which  seemed  to  show  that  she  thought  lightly  of  his 
creed,  then  the  full  tide  of  indignation  and  vengeance 
poured  into  his  bosom. 

It  was  in  crossing  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  to  pass  round  the 
southern  cape  of  Ceylon,  that  they  first  met  with  bad 
weather ;  and  when  the  storm  increased,  the  superstitious 
seamen  lighted  candles  before  the  small  image  of  the  saint 
which  was  shrined  on  deck.  Amine  observed  it,  and 
smiled  with  scorn ;  and  as  she  did  so,  almost  unwittingly, 
she  perceived  that  the  eye  of  Father  Mathias  was  earnestly 
£xed  upon  her. 

"  The  Papooses  I  have  just  left  do  no  worse  than 
p.s.  T 


290  The  Phantom  Ship 

worship  their  idols,  and  are  termed  idolaters,"  muttered 
Amine.     "  What  then  are  these  Christians  ?  " 

"Would  you  not  be  better  below  ?  "  said  Father  Mathias, 
coming  over  to  Amine ;  **  this  is  no  time  for  women  to  be 
on  deck — they  would  be  better  employed  in  offering  up 
prayers  for  safety." 

"  Nay,  Father,  I  can  pray  better  here ;  I  like  this  conflict 
of  the  elements  ;  and  as  I  view,  I  bow  down  in  admiration 
of  the  Deity  who  rules  the  storm ;  who  sends  the  winds 
forth  in  their  wrath,  or  soothes  them  into  peace." 

"It  is  well  said,  my  child,"  replied  Father  Mathias  ; 
**  but  the  Almighty  is  not  only  to  be  worshipped  in  His 
works,  but,  in  the  closet,  with  meditation,  self-examination, 
and  faith.  Hast  thou  followed  up  the  precepts  which 
thou  hast  been  taught  ?  hast  thou  reverenced  the  sublime 
mysteries  which  have  been  unfolded  to  thee  ? " 

"  I  have  done  my  best.  Father,"  replied  Amine,  turning 
away  her  head,  and  watching  the  rolling  wave. 

"Hast  thou  called  upon  the  Holy  Virgin,  and  upon 
the  saints  —  those  intercessors  for  mortals  erring  like 
thyself.?" 

Amine  made  no  answer ;  she  did  not  wish  to  irritate  the 
priest,  neither  would  she  tell  an  untruth. 

**  Answer  me,  child,"  continued  the  priest  with 
severity. 

"  Father,"  replied  Amine,  "  I  have  appealed  to  God 
alone — the  God  of  the  Christians — the  God  of  the  whole 
universe  !  " 

"  Who  believes  not  everything,  believes  nothing,  young 
woman.  I  thought  as  much !  I  saw  thee  smile  with 
scorn  just  now  •,  why  didst  thou  smile  .? " 

"  At  my  own  thoughts,  good  Father." 

**  Say  rather,  at  the  true  faith  shown  by  others." 

Amine  made  no  answer. 

"  Thou  art  still  an  unbeliever,  and  a  heretic.  Beware, 
young  woman  !  beware  !  " 

"  Beware  of  what,  good  Father  ?  why  should  I  beware  ? 
Are  there  not  millions  in  these  climes  more  unbelieving, 


The  Phantom  Ship  291 

and  more  heretic,  perhaps,  than  I  ?  How  many  have  you 
converted  to  your  faith  ?  What  trouble,  what  toil,  what 
dangers  have  you  not  undergone  to  propagate  that  creed 
— and  why  do  you  succeed  so  ill  ?  Shall  I  tell  you, 
Father  ?  It  is  because  the  people  have  already  had  a 
creed  of  their  own :  a  creed  taught  to  them  from  their 
infancy,  and  acknowledged  by  all  who  live  about  them. 
Am  I  not  in  the  same  position  ?  I  was  brought  up  in 
another  creed :  and  can  you  expect  that  that  can  be 
dismissed,  and  the  prejudices  of  early  years  at  once 
eradicated  ?  I  have  thought  much  of  what  you  have 
told  me — have  felt  that  much  is  true — that  the  tenets  of 
your  creed  are  god-like — is  not  that  much  ?  and  yet  you 
are  not  content.  You  would  have  blind  acknowledgment, 
blind  obedience — I  were  then  an  unworthy  convert.  We 
shall  soon  be  in  port,  then  teach  me,  and  convince  me, 
if  you  will ;  I  am  ready  to  examine  and  confess,  but 
on  conviction  only.  Have  patience,  good  Father,  and 
the  time  may  come  when  I  may  feel,  what  now  I  do 
not; — that  yon  bit  of  painted  wood  is  a  thing  to  bow 
down  to  and  adore." 

Notwithstanding  this  taunt  at  the  close  of  this  speech, 
there  was  so  much  truth  in  the  observations  of  Amine, 
that  Father  Mathias  felt  their  power.  As  the  wife  of 
a  Catholic,  he  had  been  accustomed  to  view  Amine  as  one 
who  had  backslided  from  the  church  of  Rome — not  as  one 
who  had  been  brought  up  in  another  creed.  He  now 
recalled  to  mind,  that  she  had  never  yet  been  received 
into  the  church,  for  Father  Seysen  had  not  considered 
her  as  in  a  proper  state  to  be  admitted,  and  had  deferred 
her  baptism  until  he  was  satisfied  of  her  full  belief. 

"You  speak  boldly,  but  you  speak  as  you  feel,  my 
child,"  replied  Father  Mathias  after  a  pause.  "  We  will, 
when  we  arrive  at  Goa,  talk  over  these  things,  and  with 
the  blessing  of  God,  the  new  faith  shall  be  made  manifest 
to  you." 

**  So  be  it,"  replied  Amine. 

Little  did  the  priest  imagine  that  Amine's  thoughts  were 


292  The  Phantom  Ship 

at  that  moment  upon  a  dream  she  had  had  at  New  Guinea^ 
in  which  her  mother  appeared,  and  revealed  to  her  her 
magic  arts — and  that  Amine  was  longing  to  arrive  at  Goa 
that  she  might  practise  them. 

Every  hour  the  gale  increased,  and  the  vessel  laboured 
and  leaked ;  the  Portuguese  sailors  were  frightened,  and 
invoked  their  saints.  Father  Mathias,  and  the  other 
passengers,  gave  themselves  up  for  lost,  for  the  pumps 
could  not  keep  the  vessel  free  ;  and  their  cheeks  blanched 
as  the  waves  washed  furiously  over  the  vessel :  they 
prayed  and  trembled.  Father  Mathias  gave  them  absolu- 
tion ;  some  cried  like  children,  some  tore  their  hair,  some 
cursed,  and  cursed  the  saints  they  had  but  the  day  before 
invoked.  But  Amine  stood  unmoved;  and  as  she  heard 
them  curse,  she  smiled  in  scorn. 

"My  child,"  said  Father  Mathias,  checking  his  tremulous 
voice  that  he  might  not  appear  agitated  before  one  whom 
he  saw  so  calm  and  unmoved  amidst  the  roaring  of  the 
elements — "  My  child,  let  not  this  hour  of  peril  pass 
away.  Before  thou  art  summoned,  let  me  receive  thee 
into  the  bosom  of  our  church — give  thee  pardon  for  thy 
sins,  and  certainty  of  bliss  hereafter." 

"  Good  Father,  Amine  is  not  to  be  frightened  into 
belief,  even  if  she  feared  the  storm,"  replied  she ;  "  nor 
will  she  credit  your  power  to  forgive  her  sins,  merely 
because  she  says,  in  fear,  that  which  in  her  calm  reason 
she  might  reject.  If  ever  fear  could  have  subjected  me, 
it  was  when  I  was  alone  upon  the  raft — that  was  indeed 
a  trial  of  my  strength  of  mind,  the  bare  recollection  of 
which  is,  at  this  moment,  more  dreadful  than  the  storm 
now  raging,  and  the  death  which  may  await  us.  There 
is  a  God  on  high  in  whose  mercy  I  trust — in  whose 
love  I  confide — to  whose  will  I  bow.  Let  Him  do  His 
will." 

"  Die  not,  my  child,  in  unbelief !  "• 

"  Father,"  replied  Amine,  pointing  to  the  passengers 
and  seamen  who  were  on  the  deck  crying  and  wailing  : 
'*  these  are  Christians — these    men   have   been   promised 


The  Phantom  Ship  293 

by  you,  but  now,  the  inheritance  of  perfect  bliss.  What 
is  their  faith,  that  it  does  not  give  them  strength  to  die 
like  men  ?  "Why  is  it  that  a  woman  quails  not,  while  they 
lie  grovelling  on  the  deck  ?  " 

*'Life  is  sweet,  my  child — they  leave  their  wives,  their 
children,  and  they  dread  hereafter.  Who  is  prepared 
to  die?" 

"  I  am,"  replied  Amine.  "  I  have  no  husband — at  least 
I  fear  I  have  no  husband.  For  me  life  has  no  sweets  ; 
yet,  one  little  hope  remains — a  straw  to  the  sinking 
wretch.  I  fear  not  death,  for  I  have  nought  to  live  for. 
Were  Philip  here,  why,  then  indeed — but  he  is  gone 
before  me,  and  now  to  follow  him  is  all  I  ask." 

"He  died  in  the  faith,  my  child — if  you  would  meet 
him,  do  the  same." 

"He  never  died  like  these,"  replied  Amine,  looking 
with  scorn  at  the  passengers. 

"  Perhaps  he  lived  not  as  they  have  lived,"  replied 
Father  Mathias.  "  A  good  man  dies  in  peace,  and  hath 
no  fear." 

"So  die  the  good  men  of  all  creeds.  Father,"  repHed 
Amine ;  "  and  in  all  creeds  death  is  equally  terrible  to  the 
wicked." 

"  I  will  pray  for  thee,  my  child,"  said  Father  Mathias, 
sinking  on  his  knees. 

"  Many  thanks — thy  prayers  will  be  heard,  even  though 
offered  for  one  like  me,"  replied  Amine,  who,  clinging  to 
the  man-ropes,  made  her  way  up  to  the  ladder,  and  gained 
the  deck. 

"  Lost !  signora,  lost !  "  exclaimed  the  captain,  wringing 
his  hands  as  he  crouched  under  the  bulwark. 

"  No ! "  replied  Amine,  who  had  gained  the  weather 
side,  and  held  on  by  a  rope  j  "  not  lost  this  time." 

"  How  say  you,  signora  ? "  replied  the  captain,  looking 
with  admiration  at  Amine's  calm  and  composed  countenance. 
"  How  say  you,  signora  ?  " 

"  Something  tells  me,  good  captain,  that  you  will  not 
be  lost,  if  you   exert   yourselves — something  tells  it  to 


2  94  '^^^  Phantom  Ship 

me  here,"  and  Amine  laid  her  hand  to  her  heart.  Amine 
had  a  conviction  that  the  vessel  would  not  be  lost,  for 
it  had  not  escaped  her  observation  that  the  storm  was 
less  violent,  although,  in  their  terror,  this  had  been 
unnoticed  by  the  sailors. 

The  coolness  of  Amine,  her  beauty,  perhaps,  the 
unusual  sight  of  a  woman  so  young,  calm  and  confiding, 
when  all  others  were  in  despair,  had  its  due  effect  upon 
the  captain  and  seamen.  Supposing  her  to  be  a  Catholic 
they  imagined  that  she  had  had  some  warrant  for  her  asser- 
tion, for  credulity  and  superstition  are  close  friends.  They 
looked  upon  Amine  with  admiration  and  respect, 
recovered  their  energies,  and  applied  to  their  duties. 
The  pumps  were  again  worked  ;  the  storm  abated  during 
the  night,  and  the  vessel  was,  as  Amine  had  predicted, 
saved. 

The  crew  and  passengers  looked  upon  her  almost  as  a 
saint,  and  talked  of  her  to  Father  Mathias,  who  was  sadly 
perplexed.  The  courage  which  she  had  displayed  was 
extraordinary ;  even  when  he  trembled,  she  showed  no 
sign  of  fear.  He  made  no  reply,  but  communed  with 
his  own  mind,  and  the  result  was  unfavourable  to  Amine. 
What  had  given  her  such  coolness  ?  what  had  given 
her  the  spirit  of  prophecy  ?  Not  the  God  of  the  Christians, 
for  she  was  no  believer.  Who  then  ?  and  Father  Mathias 
thought  of  her  chamber  at  Terneuse,  and  shook  his 
head. 


Chapter    XXX 

We  must  now  again  return  to  Philip  and  Krantz,  who  had 
a  long  conversation  upon  the  strange  re-appearance  of 
Schriften.  All  that  they  could  agree  upon  was,  that  he 
should  be  carefully  watched,  and  that  they  should  dispense 
with  his  company  as  soon  as  possible.  Krantz  had  inter- 
rogated him  as  to  his  escape,  and  Schriften  had  informed 
him,  in  his  usual  sneering  manner,  that  one  of  the  sweeps 


The  Phantom  Ship  295 

of  the  raft  had  been  allowed  to  get  adrift  during  the  scuffle, 
and  that  he  had  floated  on  it,  until  he  had  gained  a  small 
island ;  that  on  seeing  the  peroqua,  he  had  once  more 
launched  it  and  supported  himself  by  it,  until  he  was  per- 
ceived and  picked  up.  As  there  was  nothing  impossible 
although  much  of  the  improbable  in  this  account,  Krantz 
asked  no  more  questions.  The  next  morning,  the  wind 
having  abated,  they  launched  the  peroqua,  and  made  sail 
for  the  island  of  Ternate. 

It  was  four  days  before  they  arrived  :  as  every  night 
they  landed  and  hauled  up  their  craft  on  the  sandy  beach. 
Philip's  heart  was  relieved  at  the  knowledge  of  Amine's 
safety,  and  he  could  have  been  happy  at  the  prospect  of 
again  meeting  her,  had  he  not  been  so  constantly  fretted  by 
the  company  of  Schriften. 

There  was  something  so  strange,  so  contrary  to  human 
nature  that  the  little  man,  though  diabolical  as  he  appeared 
to  be  in  his  disposition,  should  never  hint  at,  or  complain 
of,  Philip's  attempts  upon  his  life.  Had  he  complained — 
had  he  accused  Philip  of  murder — had  he  vowed  vengeance 
and  demanded  justice  on  his  return  to  the  authorities,  it 
had  been  different;  but  no — there  he  was,  making  his 
uncalled-for  and  impertinent  observations,  with  his  eternal 
chuckle  and  sarcasm,  as  if  he  had  not  the  least  cause  of 
anger  or  ill-will. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  principal  port  and  town 
of  Ternate,  they  were  conducted  to  a  large  cabin,  built  of 
palmetto  leaves  and  bamboo,  and  requested  not  to  leave  it 
until  their  arrival  had  been  announced  to  the  king.  The 
peculiar  courtesy  and  good  breeding  of  these  islanders  was 
the  constant  theme  of  remark  of  Philip  and  Krantz ;  their 
religion,  as  well  as  their  dress,  appeared  to  be  a  compound 
of  the  Mahometan  and  Malayan. 

After  a  few  hours,  they  were  summoned  to  attend  the 
audience  of  the  king,  held  in  the  open  air.  The  king  was 
seated  under  a  portico,  attended  by  a  numerous  concourse 
of  priests  and  soldiers.  There  was  much  company,  but 
little  splendour.     All  who  were  about  the  king  were  robed 


296  The  Phantom  Ship 

in  white,  with  white  turbans,  but  he  himself  was  without 
ornament.  The  first  thing  that  struck  Philip  and  Krantz, 
when  they  were  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  king,  was 
the  beautiful  cleanliness  which  everywhere  prevailed;  every 
dress  was  spotless  and  white,,  as  the  sun  could  bleach  it. 

Having  followed  the  example  of  those  who  introduced 
them,  and  saluted  the  king  after  the  Mahommedan  custom, 
they  were  requested  to  be  seated ;  and  through  the  Portu- 
guese interpreters — for  the  former  communication  of  the 
islanders  with  the  Portuguese,  who  had  been  driven  from 
the  place,  made  the  Portuguese  language  well  known  by 
many — a  few  questions  were  put  by  the  king,  who  bade 
them  welcome,  and  then  requested  to  know  how  they  had 
been  wrecked. 

Philip  entered  into  a  short  detail,  in  which  he  stated  that 
his  wife  had  been  separated  from  him,  and  was,  he  under- 
stood, in  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese  factory  at  Tidore. 
He  requested  to  know  if  his  majesty  could  assist  him  in 
obtaining  her  release,  or  in  going  to  join  her. 

"  It  is  well  said,"  replied  the  king.  "  Let  refreshments 
be  brought  in  for  the  strangers,  and  the  audience  be  broken 
up." 

In  a  few  minutes  there  remained  of  all  the  Court  but  two 
or  three  of  the  king's  confidential  friends  and  advisers  ;  and 
a  collation  of  curries,  fish,  and  a  variety  of  other  dishes  was 
served  up.  After  it  was  over,  the  king  then  said,  "  The 
Portuguese  are  dogs,  they  are  our  enemies — will  you  assist 
us  to  fight  them  ?  We  have  large  guns,  but  do  not  under- 
stand the  use  of  them  as  well  as  you  do.  I  will  send  a  fleet 
against  the  Portuguese  at  Tidore,  if  you  will  assist  me. 
Say,  Hollanders,  will  you  fight  ?  You,"  addressing  Philip, 
**  will  then  recover  your  wife." 

"  I  will  give  an  answer  to  you  to-morrow,"  replied 
Philip ;  "  I  must  consult  with  my  friend.  As  I  told  you 
before,  I  was  the  captain  of  the  ship,  and  this  was  my 
second  in  command — we  will  consult  together."  Schriften, 
whom  Philip  had  represented  as  a  common  seaman,  had  not 
been  brought  up  into  the  presence  of  the  king. 


The  Phantom  Ship  297 

**It  is  good,"  replied  the  king;  "to-morrow  we  will 
expect  your  reply." 

Philip  and  Krantz  took  their  leave,  and,  on  their  return 
to  the  cabin,  found  that  the  king  had  sent  them,  as  a 
present,  two  complete  Mahommedan  dresses,  with  turbans. 
These  were  welcome,  for  their  own  garments  were  sadly 
tattered,  and  very  unfit  for  exposure  to  the  burning  sun  of 
those  climes.  Their  peaked  hats  too,  collected  the  rays  of 
heat,  which  were  intolerable ;  and  they  gladly  exchanged 
them  for  the  white  turban.  Secreting  their  money  in  the 
Malayan  sash,  which  formed  a  part  of  the  attire,  they  soon 
robed  themselves  in  the  native  garments,  the  comfort  of 
which  was  immediately  acknowledged.  After  a  long  con- 
sultation, it  was  decided  that  they  should  accept  the  terms 
offered  by  the  king,  as  this  was  the  only  feasible  way  by 
which  Philip  could  hope  to  re-obtain  possession  of  Amine. 
Their  consent  was  communicated  to  the  king  on  the 
following  day,  and  every  preparation  was  made  for  the 
expedition. 

And  now  was  to  be  beheld  a  scene  of  bustle  and  activity. 
Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  peroquas,  of  every  dimension, 
floating  close  to  the  beach,  side  by  side,  formed  a  raft 
extending  nearly  half  a  mile  on  the  smooth  water  of  the 
bay,  teeming  with  men,  who  were  equipping  them  for  the 
service  :  some  were  fitting  the  sails ;  others  were  carpen- 
tering where  required ;  the  major  portion  were  sharpening 
their  swords,  and  preparing  the  deadly  poison  of  the  pine- 
apple for  their  creezes.  The  beach  was  a  scene  of 
confusion  :  water  in  jars,  bags  of  rice,  vegetables,  salt-fish, 
fowls  in  coops,  were  everywhere  strewed  about  among  the 
armed  natives,  who  were  obeying  the  orders  of  the  chiefs, 
who  themselves  walked  up  and  down,  dressed  in  their 
gayest  apparel,  and  glittering  in  their  arms  and  ornaments. 
The  king  had  six  long  brass  four-pounders,  a  present  from 
an  Indian  captain ;  these,  with  a  proportionate  quantity  of 
shot  and  cartridges,  were  (under  the  direction  of  Philip 
and  Krantz)  fitted  on  some  of  the  largest  peroquas,  and 
some  of  the  natives  were  instructed  how  to  use  them.     At 


298  The  Phantom  Ship 

first  the  king,  who  fully  expected  the  reduction  of  the 
Portuguese  fort,  stated  his  determination  to  go  in  person  ; 
but  in  this  he  was  overruled  by  his  confidential  advisers 
and  by  the  request  of  Philip,  who  could  not  allow  him  to 
expose  his  valuable  life.  In  ten  days  all  was  ready,  and 
the  fleet,  manned  by  seven  thousand  men,  made  sail  for  the 
island  of  Tidore. 

It  was  a  beautiful  sight,  to  behold  the  blue  rippling  sea, 
covered  with  nearly  six  hundred  of  these  picturesque  craft, 
all  under  sail,  and  darting  through  the  water  like  dolphins 
in  pursuit  of  prey  ;  all  crowded  with  natives,  whose  white 
dresses  formed  a  lively  contrast  with  the  deep  blue  of  the 
water.  The  large  peroquas,  in  which  were  Philip  and 
Krantz  with  the  native  commanders,  were  gaily  decorated 
with  streamers  and  pennons  of  all  colours,  that  flowed  out 
and  snapped  with  the  fresh  breeze.  It  appeared  rather  to 
be  an  expedition  of  mirth  and  merriment,  than  one  which 
was  proceeding  to  bloodshed  and  slaughter. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  they  had  made  the 
island  of  Tidore,  and  run  down  to  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  Portuguese  factory  and  fort.  The  natives  of  the 
country,  who  disliked,  though  they  feared  to  disobey  the 
Portuguese,  had  quitted  their  huts  near  the  beach  and 
retired  into  the  woods.  The  fleet,  therefore,  anchored  and 
lay  near  the  beach,  without  molestation,  during  the  night. 
The  next  morning  Philip  and  Krantz  proceeded  to  recon- 
noitre. 

The  fort  and  factory  of  Tidore  were  built  upon  the  same 
principle  as  almost  all  the  Portuguese  defences  in  those  seas. 
An  outer  fortification,  consisting  of  a  ditch,  with  strong 
palisades  embedded  in  masonry,  surrounded  the  factory  and 
all  the  houses  of  the  establishment.  The  gates  of  the  outer 
wall  were  open  all  day  for  ingress  and  egress,  and  closed 
only  at  night.  On  the  seaward  side  of  this  enclosure  was 
what  may  be  termed  the  citadel  or  real  fortification ;  it  was 
built  of  solid  masonry  with  parapets,  was  surrounded  by 
a  deep  ditch,  and  was  only  accessible  by  a  drawbridge, 
mounted  with  cannon  on  every    side.     Its   real   strength 


The  Phantom  Ship  299 

however,  could  not  well  be  perceived,  as  it  was  hidden  by 
the  high  palisading  which  surrounded  the  whole  establish- 
ment. After  a  careful  survey,  Philip  recommended  that 
the  large  peroquas  with  the  cannon  should  attack  by  sea, 
while  the  men  of  the  small  vessels  should  land  and  surround 
the  fort — taking  advantage  of  every  shelter  which  was 
afforded  them,  to  cover  themselves  while  they  harassed  the 
enemy  with  their  matchlocks,  arrows,  and  spears.  This 
plan  having  been  approved  of,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
peroquas  made  sail ;  the  others  were  hauled  on  the  beach, 
and  the  men  belonging  to  them  proceeded  by  land. 

But  the  Portuguese  had  been  warned  of  their  approach, 
and  were  fully  prepared  to  receive  them ;  the  guns  mounted 
to  the  seaward  were  of  heavy  calibre  and  well  served. 
The  guns  of  the  peroquas,  though  rendered  as  effectual  as 
they  could  be,  under  the  direction  of  Philip,  were  small, 
and  did  little  damage  to  the  thick  stone  front  of  the  fort. 
After  an  engagement  of  four  hours,  during  which  the 
Ternate  people  lost  a  great  number  of  men,  the  peroquas, 
by  the  advice  of  Philip  and  Krantz,  hauled  off,  and 
returned  to  where  the  remainder  of  the  fleet  were 
stationed  ;  and  another  council  of  war  was  held.  The 
force,  which  had  surrounded  the  fort  on  the  land  side, 
was,  however,  not  withdrawn,  as  it  cut  off  any  supplies  or 
assistance;  and,  at  the  same  time,  occasionally  brought 
down  any  of  the  Portuguese  who  might  expose  them- 
selves— a  point  of  no  small  importance,  as  Philip  well 
knew,  with  a  garrison  so  small  as  that  in  the  fort. 

That  they  could  not  take  the  fort  by  means  of  their 
cannon  was  evident ;  on  the  sea-side  it  was  for  them 
impregnable ;  their  efforts  must  now  be  directed  to  the 
land.  Krantz,  after  the  native  chiefs  had  done  speaking, 
advised  that  they  should  wait  until  dark,  and  then  proceed 
to  the  attack  in  the  following  way.  "When  the  breeze 
set  along  shore,  which  it  would  do  in  the  evening,  he 
proposed  that  the  men  should  prepare  large  bundles  of 
dry  palmetto  and  cocoa-nut  leaves;  that  they  should 
carry  their  bundles  and  stack    them   against  the  palisades 


300  The  Phantom  Ship 

to  windward,  and  then  set  fire  to  them.  They  would 
thus  burn  down  the  palisades,  and  gain  an  entrance  into 
the  outer  fortification :  after  which  they  could  ascertain 
in  what  manner  they  should  next  proceed.  This  advice 
was  too  judicious  not  to  be  followed.  All  the  men  who 
had  not  matchlocks  were  set  to  collect  fagots ;  a  large 
quantity  of  dry  wood  was  soon  got  together,  and  before 
night  they  were  ready  for  the  second  attack. 

The  white  dresses  of  the  Ternates  were  laid  aside : 
with  nothing  on  them  but  their  belts,  and  scimitars,  and 
creezes,  and  blue  under-drawers,  they  silently  crept  up 
to  the  palisades,  there  deposited  their  fagots,  and  then 
again  returned,  again  to  perform  the  same  journey.  As 
the  breastwork  of  fagots  increased,  so  did  they  more 
boldly  walk  up,  until  the  pile  was  completed ;  they  then, 
with  a  loud  shout,  fired  it  in  several  places.  The  flames 
mounted,  the  cannon  of  the  fort  roared,  and  many  fell 
under  the  discharges  of  grape  and  hand-grenade.  But, 
stifled  by  the  smoke,  which  poured  in  volumes  upon  them, 
the  people  in  the  fort  were  soon  compelled  to  quit  the 
ramparts  to  avoid  suffocation.  The  palisades  were  on 
fire,  and  the  flames  mounting  in  the  air,  swept  over, 
and  began  to  attack  the  factory  and  houses.  No  resistance 
was  now  offered,  and  the  Ternates  tore  down  the  burning 
palisades,  and  forced  their  way  into  the  entrenchment, 
and  with  their  scimitars  and  creezes,  put  to  death  all 
who  had  been  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  take  refuge  in 
the  citadel.  These  were  chiefly  native  servants,  whom 
the  attack  had  surprised,  and  for  whose  lives  the  Portuguese 
seemed  to  care  but  little,  for  they  paid  no  attention  to 
their  cries  to  lower  the  drawbridge,  and  admit  them  into 
the  fort. 

The  factory,  built  of  stone,  and  all  the  other  houses, 
were  on  fire,  and  the  island  was  lighted  up  for  miles. 
The  smoke  had  cleared  away,  and  the  defences  of  the 
fort  were  now  plainly  visible  in  the  broad  glare  of  the 
flames.  "If  we  had  scaling-ladders,"  cried  Philip,  "  the 
fort  would  be  ours  j  there  is  not  a  soul  on  the  ramparts." 


The  Phantom  Ship  301 

"  True,  true,"  replied  Krantz,  "  but  even  as  it  is,  the 
factory  walls  will  prove  an  advantageous  post  for  us 
after  the  fire  is  extinguished ;  if  we  occupy  it  we  can 
prevent  them  showing  themselves  while  the  ladders  are 
constructing.  To-morrow  night  we  may  have  them 
ready,  and  having  first  smoked  the  fort  with  a  few  more 
fagots,  we  may  afterwards  mount  the  walls,  and  carry 
the  place." 

"That  will  do,"  replied  Philip  as  he  walked  away. 
He  then  joined  the  native  chiefs,  who  were  collected 
together  outside  of  the  entrenchment,  and  communicated 
to  them  his  plans.  When  he  had  made  known  his  views, 
and  the  chiefs  had  assented  to  them,  Schriften,  who  had 
come  with  the  expedition  unknown  to  Philip,  made  his 
appearance. 

"That  won't  do;  you'll  never  take  that  fort,  Philip 
Vanderdecken.     He  !  he  !  "  cried  Schriften. 

Hardly  had  he  said  the  words,  when  a  tremendous 
explosion  took  place,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  large 
stones,  which  flew  and  fell  in  every  direction,  killing  and 
maiming  hundreds.  It  was  the  factory  which  had  blown 
up,  for  in  its  vaults  there  was  a  large  quantity  of  gun- 
powder, to  which  the  fire  had  communicated. 

"  So  ends  that  scheme.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken.  He  ! 
he  !  "  screamed  Schriften  ;  "  you'll  never  take  that  fort." 

The  loss  of  life  and  the  confusion  caused  by  this 
unexpected  result,  occasioned  a  panic,  and  all  the  Ternate 
people  fled  down  to  the  beach  where  their  peroquas  were 
lying. 

It  was  in  vain  that  Philip  and  their  chiefs  attempted 
to  rally  them.  Unaccustomed  to  the  terrible  effects  of 
gunpowder  in  any  large  quantities,  they  believed  that 
something  supernatural  had  occurred,  and  many  of  them 
jumped  into  the  peroquas  and  made  sail,  while  the 
remainder  were  confused,  trembling,  and  panting,  all 
huddled  together,  on  the  beach. 

"  You'll  never  take  that  fort.  Mynheer  Vanderdecken," 
screamed  the  well-known  voice. 


302  The  Phantom  Ship 

Philip  raised  his  sword  to  cleave  the  little  man  in  two, 
but  he  let  it  fall  again.  "  I  fear  he  tells  an  unwelcome 
truth,"  thought  Philip ;  "  but  why  should  I  take  his  life 
for  that  ? " 

Some  few  of  the  Ternate  chiefs  still  kept  up  their 
courage,  but  the  major  part  were  as  much  alarmed  as 
their  people.  After  some  consultation,  it  was  agreed 
that  the  army  should  remain  where  it  was  till  the  next 
morning,  when  they  should  finally  decide  what  to  do. 

When  the  day  dawned,  now  that  the  Portuguese  fort 
was  no  longer  surrounded  by  the  other  buildings,  they 
perceived  that  it  was  more  formidable  than  they  had 
at  first  supposed.  The  ramparts  were  filled  with  men, 
and  they  were  bringing  cannon  to  bear  on  the  Ternate 
forces.  Philip  had  a  consultation  with  Krantz,  and  both 
acknowledged,  that  with  the  present  panic  nothing  more 
could  be  done.  The  chiefs  were  of  the  same  opinion,  and 
orders  were  given  for  the  return  of  the  expedition :  indeed, 
the  Ternate  chiefs  were  fully  satisfied  with  their  success  ; 
they  had  destroyed  the  large  fort,  the  factory,  and  all  the 
Portuguese  buildings ;  a  small  fortification  only  was 
uninjured  :  that  was  built  of  stone,  and  inaccessible,  and 
they  knew  that  the  report  of  what  had  been  done,  would 
be  taken  and  acknowledged  by  the  king  as  a  great  victory. 
The  order  was  therefore  given  for  embarkation,  and  in 
two  hoars  the  whole  fleet,  after  a  loss  of  about  seven 
hundred  men,  was  again  on  its  way  to  Ternate.  Krantz 
and' Philip  this  time  embarked  in  the  same  peroqua,  that 
they  might  have  the  pleasure  of  each  other's  conversation. 
They  had  not,  however,  sailed  above  three  hours,  when  it 
fell  calm,  and,  towards  the  evening,  there  was  every 
prospect  of  bad  weather.  When  the  breeze  again  sprung 
up,  it  was  from  an  adverse  quarter,  but  these  vessels  steer 
so  close  to  the  wind,  that  this  was  disregarded :  by  mid- 
night, however,  the  wind  had  increased  to  a  gale,  and 
before  they  were  clear  of  the  N.  E.  headland  of  Tidore,  it 
blew  a  hurricane,  and  many  were  washed  off  into  the  sea 
from  the  different  craft,  and  those  who  could  not  swim, 


The  Phantom  Ship  303 

sank,  and  were  drowned.  The  sails  were  lowered,  and 
the  vessels  lay  at  the  mercy  of  the  wind  and  waves,  every 
sea  washing  over  them.  The  fleet  was  drifting  fast  on  the 
shore,  and  before  morning  dawned,  the  vessel  in  which 
were  Philip  and  Krantz  was  among  the  rollers  on  the 
beach  off  the  northern  end  of  the  island.  In  a  short  time 
she  was  dashed  to  pieces,  and  every  one  had  to  look  out 
for  himself.  Philip  and  Krantz  laid  hold  of  one  fragment, 
and  were  supported  by  it  till  they  gained  the  shore ;  here 
they  found  about  thirty  more  companions  who  had  suffered 
the  same  fate  as  themselves.  When  the  day  dawned,  they 
perceived  that  the  major  part  of  the  fleet  had  weathered 
the  point,  and  that  those  who  had  not,  would  in  all 
probability  escape,  as  the  wind  had  moderated. 

The  Ternate  people  proposed,  that  as  they  were  well 
armed,  they  should,  as  soon  as  the  weather  moderated, 
launch  some  of  the  craft  belonging  to  the  islanders, 
and  join  the  fleet  ;  but  Philip,  who  had  been  consulting 
with  Krantz,  considered  this  a  good  opportunity  for 
ascertaining  the  fate  of  Amine.  As  the  Portuguese  could 
prove  nothing  against  them,  they  could  either  deny  that 
they  had  been  among  the  assailants,  or  might  plead  that 
they  had  been  forced  to  join  them.  At  all  risks,  Philip 
was  determined  to  remain,  and  Krantz  agreed  to  share  his 
fate  :  and  seeming  to  agree  with  them,  they  allowed  the 
Ternate  people  to  walk  to  the  Tidore  peroquas,  and 
while  they  were  launching  them  Philip  and  Krantz  fell 
back  into  the  jungle  and  disappeared.  The  Portuguese 
had  perceived  the  wreck  of  their  enemies,  and,  irritated  by 
the  loss  they  had  sustained,  they  had  ordered  the  people 
of  the  island  to  go  out  and  capture  all  who  were  driven 
on  shore.  Now  that  they  were  no  longer  assailed,  the 
Tidore  people  obeyed  them,  and  very  soon  fell  in  with 
Philip  and  Krantz,  who  had  quietly  sat  down  under  the 
shade  of  a  large  tree,  waiting  the  issue.  They  were  led 
away  to  the  fort,  where  they  arrived  by  nightfall.  They 
were  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  Commandant,  the 
^ame  little  man  who  had  made  love  to  Amine,  and  as  they 


304  The  Phantom  Ship 

were  dressed  in  Mussulman's  attire,  he  was  about  to  order 
them  to  be  hung,  when  Philip  told  him  that  they  were 
Dutchmen,  who  had  been  wrecked,  and  forced  by  the 
King  of  Ternate  to  join  his  expedition ;  that  they  had 
taken  the  earliest  opportunity  of  escaping,  as  was  very 
evident  since  those  who  had  been  thrown  on  shore  with 
them  had  got  off  in  the  island  boats,  while  they  chose  to 
remain.  Whereupon  the  little  Portuguese  Commandant 
struck  his  sword  firm  down  on  the  pavement  of  the 
ramparts,  looked  very  big,  and  then  ordered  them  to  prison 
for  further  examination. 

Chapter   XXXI 

As  every  one  descants  upon  the  want  of  comfort  in  a 
prison,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  there  are  no  very 
comfortable  ones.  Certainly  that  to  which  Philip  and 
Krantz  were  ushered,  had  anything  rather  than  the  air  of 
an  agreeable  residence.  It  was  under  the  fort,  with 
a  very  small  aperture  looking  towards  the  sea,  for  light 
and  air.  It  was  very  hot,  and  moreover  destitute  of  all 
those  little  conveniences  which  add  so  much  to  one's 
happiness  in  modern  houses  and  hotels.  In  fact,  it 
consisted  of  four  bare  walls,  and  a  stone  floor,  and  that 
was  all. 

Philip,  who  wished  to  make  some  inquiries  relative  to 
Amine,  addressed,  in  Portuguese,  the  soldier  who  brought 
them  down. 

<<  My  good  friend,  I  beg  your  pardon " 

"  I  beg  yours,"  replied  the  soldier  going  out  of  the  door,, 
and  locking  them  in. 

Philip  leant  gloomily  against  the  wall ;  Krantz,  more 
mercurial,  walked  up  and  down  three  steps  each  way  and 
turn. 

**Do  you  know  what  I  am  thinking  of?"  observed 
Krantz,  after  a  pause  in  his  walk.  "  It  is  very  fortunate 
that  (lowering  his  voice)  we  have  all  our  doubloons  about 
us ;  if  they  don't  search  us,  we  may  yet  get  away  by  bribing." 


The  Phantom  Ship  305 

**  And  I  was  thinking,"  rejoined  Philip,  "  that  I  would 
sooner  be  here  than  in  company  with  that  wretch  Schriften, 
whose  sight  is  poison  to  me." 

"  I  did  not  much  admire  the  appearance  of  the  Com- 
mandant, but  I  suppose  we  shall  know  more  to-morrow." 

Here  they  were  interrupted  by  the  turning  of  the  key, 
and  the  entrance  of  a  soldier  with  a  chatty  of  water,  and 
a  large  dish  of  boiled  rice.  He  was  not  the  man  who  had 
brought  them  to  the  dungeon,  and  Philip  accosted  hhn. 

"  You  have  had  hard  work  within  these  last  two  days  ? " 

**  Yes,  indeed  !  signor." 

**  The  natives  forced  us  to  join  the  expedition,  and  we 
escaped." 

"  So  I  heard  you  say,  signor." 

"  They  lost  nearly  a  thousand  men,"  said  Krantz. 

"  Holy  St  Francis  !  I  am  glad  of  it." 

**  They  will  be  careful  how  they  attack  Portuguese  in  a 
hurry,  I  expect,"  rejoined  Krantz. 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  the  soldier. 

"  Did  you  lose  many  men  ?  "  ventured  Philip,  perceiving 
that  the  man  was  loquacious. 

"  Not  ten  of  our  own  people.  In  the  factory  there 
were  about  a  hundred  of  the  natives,  with  some  women 
and  children  ;  but  that  is  of  no  consequence." 

**  You  had  a  young  European  woman  here,  I  understand," 
said  Philip  with  anxiety ;  **  one  who  was  wrecked  in  a 
vessel — was  she  among  those  who  were  lost .? " 

"  Young  woman ! — Holy  St  Francis.  Yes,  now  I 
recollect.     Why  the  fact  is " 

**  Pedro  !  "  called  a  voice  from  above ;  the  man  stopped, 
put  his  fingers  to  his  lips,  went  out,  and  locked  the  door. 

"  God  of  Heaven !  give  me  patience,"  cried  Philip  ^ 
"  but  this  is  too  trying." 

"He  will  be  down  here  again  to-morrow  morning," 
observed  Krantz. 

"  Yes  !  to-morrow  morning  ;  but  what  an  endless  time 
will  suspense  make  of  the  intervening  hours." 

"  I  feel  for  you,"  replied  Krantz ;  "  but  what  can  be 
p.s.  u 


3o6  The  Phantom  Ship 

done  ?  The  hours  must  pass,  though  suspense  draws  them 
out  into  interminable  years ;  but  I  hear  footsteps." 

Again  the  door  was  unlocked,  and  the  first  soldier  made 
his  appearance.  "  Follow  me — the  Commandant  would 
speak  with  you." 

This  unexpected  summons  was  cheerfully  complied  with 
by  Philip  and  his  companion.  They  walked  up  the  narrow 
stone  steps,  and  at  last  found  themselves  in  a  small  room, 
in  presence  of  the  Commandant,  with  whom  our  readers 
have  been  already  made  acquainted.  He  was  lolling  on  a 
small  sofa,  his  long  sword  lay  on  the  table  before  him,  and 
two  young  native  women  were  fanning  him,  one  at  his 
head,  and  the  other  at  his  feet. 

"Where  did  you  get  those  dresses?"  was  the  first 
interrogatory. 

"  The  natives,  when  they  brought  us  prisoners  from  the 
island  on  which  we  had  saved  ourselves,  took  away  our 
clothes,  and  gave  us  these  as  a  present  from  their  king." 

"  And  engaged  you  to  serve  in  their  fleet,  in  the  attack 
on  this  fort  ?  " 

"  They  forced  us,"  replied  Krantz ;  "for  as  there  was 
no  war  between  our  nations,  we  objected  to  this  service  : 
notwithstanding  which,  they  put  us  on  board,  to  make 
the  common  people  believe  that  they  were  assisted  by 
Europeans." 

"  How  am  I  to  know  the  truth  of  this  ? " 

"  You  have  our  word  in  the  first  place,  and  our  escape 
from  them  in  the  second." 

"  You  belonged  to  a  Dutch  East-Indiaman.  Are  you 
officers  or  common  seamen  .? " 

Krantz,  who  considered  that  they  were  less  likely  to  be 
detained  if  they  concealed  their  rank  on  board,  gave  Philip 
a  slight  touch  with  his  finger  as  he  replied,  "  We  are 
inferior  officers.  I  was  third  mate,  and  this  man  was 
pilot." 

"  And  your  captain,  where  is  he  ? " 

"  I — I  cannot  say,  whether  he  is  alive  or  dead." 

"  Had  you  no  woman  on  board  ? " 


The  Phantom  Ship  307 

*'  Yes  !  the  captain  had  his  wife." 

"  What  has  become  of  her  ? " 

**  She  is  supposed  to  have  perished  on  a  portion  of  the 
raft  which  broke  adrift." 

**Ha!"  replied  the  Commandant,  who  remained  silent 
for  some  time. 

Philip  looked  at  Krantz,  as  much  as  to  say,  **  Why  all 
this  subterfuge ; "  but  Krantz  gave  him  a  sign  to  leave  him 
to  speak. 

"  You  say  you  don't  know  whether  your  captain  is  alive 
or  dead  ? " 

"  I  do." 

"  Now,  suppose  I  was  to  give  you  your  liberty,  would 
you  have  any  objection  to  sign  a  paper,  stating  his  death, 
and  swearing  to  the  truth  of  it  ?  " 

Philip  stared  at  the  Commandant,  and  then  at  Krantz. 

**  I  see  no  objection,  exactly ;  except  that  if  it  were 
sent  home  to  Holland  we  might  get  into  trouble.  May 
I  ask,  signor  Commandant,  why  you  wish  for  such  a 
paper  ? " 

"  No !  "  roared  the  little  man,  in  a  voice  like  thunder. 
**  I  will  give  no  reason,  but  that  I  wish  it ;  that  is  enough ; 
take  your  choice — the  dungeon,  or  liberty  and  a  passage 
by  the  first  vessel  which  calls." 

**  I  don't  doubt — in  fact — I'm  sure,  he  must  be  dead  by 
this  time,"  replied  Krantz,  drawing  out  the  words  in  a 
musing  manner.  **  Commandant,  will  you  give  us  till  to- 
morrow morning  to  make  our  calculations  ?  " 

"  Yes  !  you  may  go." 

"  But  not  to  the  dungeon.  Commandant,"  replied  Krantz  ; 
<*  we  are  not  prisoners,  certainly  5  and,  if  you  wish  us  to 
do  you  a  favour,  surely  you  will  not  ill-treat  us  ? " 

**  By  your  own  acknowledgment  you  have  taken  up 
arms  against  the  most  Christian  King  -,  however,  you  may 
remain  at  liberty  for  the  night — to-morrow  morning  will 
decide  whether  or  no  you  are  prisoners." 

Philip  and  Krantz  thanked  the  little  Commandant  for 
his  kindness,  and  then  hastened  away  to  the  ramparts.     It 


3o8  The  Phantom  Ship 

was  now  dark,  and  the  moon  had  not  yet  made  her  appear- 
ance. They  sat  there  on  the  parapet,  enjoying  the  breeze, 
and  feeling  the  deHght  of  liberty,  even  after  their  short 
incarceration ;  but,  near  to  them,  soldiers  were  either 
standing  or  lying,  and  they  spoke  but  in  whispers. 

**  What  could  he  mean  by  requiring  us  to  give  a  certifi- 
cate of  the  captain*s  death;  and  why  did  you  answer  as 
you  did?" 

"Philip  Vanderdecken,  that  I  have  often  thought  of  the 
fate  of  your  beautiful  wife,  you  may  imagine  ;  and,  when 
I  heard  that  she  was  brought  here,  I  then  trembled  for 
her.  What  must  she  appear,  lovely  as  she  is,  when  placed 
in  comparison  with  the  women  of  this  country  ?  And  that 
little  Commandant — is  he  not  the  very  person  who  would 
be  taken  with  her  charms  ?  I  denied  our  condition,  be- 
cause I  thought  he  would  be  more  likely  to  allow  us  our 
liberty  as  humble  individuals,  than  as  captain  and  first 
mate ;  particularly  as  he  suspects  that  we  led  on  the 
Ternate  people  to  the  attack;  and  when  he  asked  for  a 
certificate  of  your  death,  I  immediately  imagined  that  he 
wanted  it  in  order  to  induce  Amine  to  marry  him.  But 
where  is  she  ?  is  the  question.  If  we  could  only  find  out 
that  soldier,  we  might  gain  some  information." 

"  Depend  upon  it,  she  is  here,"  replied  Philip,  clenching 
his  hands. 

"I  am  inclined  to  think  so,"  said  Krantz  ;  "  that  she  is 
alive,  I  feel  assured." 

The  conversation  was  continued  until  the  moon  rose,, 
and  threw  her  beams  over  the  tumbling  waters.  Philip 
and  Krantz  turned  their  faces  towards  the  sea,  and  leant 
over  the  battlements  in  silence ;  after  some  time  their 
reveries  were  disturbed  by  a  person  coming  up  to  them 
with  a  "  Buenos  nodes,  signorJ^ 

Krantz  immediately  recognised  the  Portuguese  soldier, 
whose  conversation  with  him  had  been  interrupted. 

"  Good-night,  my  friend  !  We  thank  Heaven  that  you 
have  no  longer  to  turn  the  key  upon  us." 

**  Yes,  I'm  surprised  !  "  replied  the  soldier,  in  a  low 


The  Phantom  Ship  309 

tone.  "  Our  Commandant  is  fond  of  exercising  his  power ; 
he  rules  here  without  appeal,  that  I  can  tell  you." 

"He  is  not  within  hearing  of  us  now,"  replied  Krantz. 
**It  is  a  lovely  spot  this  to  live  in !  How  long  have  you 
been  in  this  country  ?  " 

"  Now,  thirteen  years,  signor,  and  I'm  tired  of  it.  I 
have  a  wife  and  children  in  Oporto — that  is,  I  had — but 
whether  they  are  alive  or  not,  who  can  tell  ?  " 

**  Do  you  not  expect  to  return  and  see  them  ?  " 

"  Return — signor  !  no  Portuguese  soldier  like  me  ever 
returns.  We  are  enlisted  for  five  years,  and  we  lay  our 
bones  here." 

"  That  is  hard  indeed." 

"  Hard,  signor,"  replied  the  soldier  in  a  low  whisper ; 
**  it  is  cruel  and  treacherous.  I  have  often  thought  of 
putting  the  muzzle  of  my  arquebuse  to  my  head ;  but 
while  there's  life  there's  hope." 

"  I  pity  you,  my  good  fellow,"  rejoined  Krantz  ;  "  look 
you,  I  have  two  gold  pieces  left — take  one ;  you  may  be 
able  to  send  it  home  to  your  poor  wife." 

"  And  here  is  one  of  mine,  too,  my  good  fellow,"  added 
Philip,  putting  another  in  his  hand. 

"  Now  may  all  the  saints  preserve  you,  signors,"  replied 
the  soldier,  "  for  it  is  the  first  act  of  kindness  shown  to 
me  for  many  years — not  that  my  wife  and  children  have 
much  chance  of  ever  receiving  it." 

*' You  were  speaking  about  a  young  European  woman 
when  we  were  in  the  dungeon,"  observed  Krantz,  after  a 
pause. 

"  Yes,  signor,  she  was  a  very  beautiful  creature.  Our 
Commandant  was  very  much  in  love  with  her." 

"  Where  is  she  now  ?  " 

"  She  went  away  to  Goa,  in  company  with  a  priest  who 
knew  her,  Father  Mathias,  a  good  old  man ;  he  gave  me 
absolution  when  he  was  here." 

"  Father  Mathias  !  "  exclaimed  Philip ;  but  a  touch  from 
Krantz  checked  him. 

**  You  say  the  Commandant  loved  her  ?  " 


3IO  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  O  yes  ;  the  little  man  was  quite  mad  about  her  •,  and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  arrival  of  Father  Mathias,  he  would 
never  have  let  her  go,  that  Fm  sure  of,  although  she  was 
another  man's  wife." 

"  Sailed  for  Goa,  you  said  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  a  ship  which  called  here.  She  must  have  been 
very  glad  to  have  got  away,  for  our  little  Commandant 
persecuted  her  all  day  long,  and  she  evidently  was  grieving 
for  her  husband.  Do  you  know,  signors,  if  her  husband  is 
alive  ? " 

**  No,  we  do  not ;  we  have  heard  nothing  of  him." 

"  Well,  if  he  is,  I  hope  he  will  not  come  here  ;  for 
should  the  Commandant  have  him  in  his  power,  it  would 
go  hard  with  him.  He  is  a  man  who  sticks  at  nothing. 
He  is  a  brave  little  fellow,  that  cannot  be  denied  •,  but  to 
get  possession  of  that  lady,  he  would  remove  all  obstacles 
at  any  risk— and  a  husband  is  a  very  serious  one,  signors. 
Well,  signors,"  continued  the  soldier,  after  a  pause,  "  I 
had  better  not  be  seen  here  too  Jong ;  you  may  command 
me  if  you  want  anything ;  recollect,  my  name  is  Pedro — 
good-night  to  you,  and  a  thousand  thanks,"  and  the  soldier 
walked  away. 

"  We  have  made  one  friend,  at  all  events,"  said  Krantz, 
,*  and  we  have  gained  information  of  no  Httle  importance." 

"Most  important,"  replied  Philip.  "Amine  then  has 
sailed  for  Goa  with  Father  Mathias  !  I  feel  that  she  is  safe, 
and  in  good  hands.  He  is  an  excellent  man,  that  Father 
Mathias — my  mind  is  much  relieved." 

"  Yes  ;  but  recollect  you  are  in  the  power  of  your 
enemy.  We  must  leave  this  place  as  quick  as  we  can — 
to-morrow  we  must  sign  the  paper.  It  is  of  little  con- 
sequence, as  we  shall  probably  be  at  Goa  before  it  arrives  v 
and  even  if  we  are  not,  the  news  of  your  death  would  not 
occasion  Amine  to  marry  this  little  withered  piece  of 
mortality." 

"That  I  feel  assured  of;  but  it  may  cause  her  great 
suffering." 

"  Not    worse   than   her   present   suspense,  believe  me^ 


The  Phantom  Ship  311 

Philip  J  but  it  is  useless  canvassing  the  past — it  must 
be  done.  I  shall  sign  as  Cornelius  Richter,  our  third 
mate ;  you,  as  Jacob  Vantreat — recollect  that." 

"  Agreed,"  replied  Philip,  who  then  turned  away,  as  if 
willing  to  be  left  to  his  own  thoughts.  Krantz  perceived 
it,  and  laid  down  under  the  embrasure,  and  was  soon  fast 
asleep. 


Chapter  XXXII 

Tired  out  with  the  fatigue  of  the  day  before,  Philip  had 
laid  himself  down  by  Krantz  and  fallen  asleep ;  early  the 
next  morning  he  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  the  Com- 
mandant's voice,  and  his  long  sword  rattling  as  usual  upon 
the  pavement.  He  rose,  and  found  the  little  man  rating 
the  soldiers — threatening  some  with  the  dungeon,  others 
with  extra  duty.  Krantz  was  also  on  his  feet  before  the 
Commandant  had  finished  his  morning's  lecture.  At  last, 
perceiving  them,  in  a  stern  voice  he  ordered  them  to  follow 
him  into  his  apartment.  They  did  so,  and  the  Commandant 
throwing  himself  upon  his  sofa,  inquired  whether  they 
were  ready  to  sign  the  required  paper,  or  go  back  to 
the  dungeon. — Krantz  replied  that  they  had  been  calculating 
chances,  and  that  they  were  in  consequence  so  perfectly 
convinced  of  the  death  of  the  captain,  that  they  were 
willing  to  sign  any  paper  to  that  effect ;  at  which  reply, 
the  Commandant  immediately  became  very  gracious,  and 
having  called  for  materials,  he  wrote  out  the  document, 
which  was  duly  subscribed  to  by  Krantz  and  Philip.  As 
soon  as  they  had  signed  it,  and  he  had  it  in  his  possession, 
the  little  man  was  so  pleased,  that  he  requested  them  to 
partake  of  his  breakfast. 

During  the  repast,  he  promised  that  they  should  leave 
the  island  by  the  first  opportunity.  Although  Philip  was 
taciturn,  yet  as  Krantz  made  himself  very  agreeable,  the 
Commandant  invited  them  to  dinner.  Krantz,  as  they 
became  more  familiar,  informed  him  that  they  had  each  a 


312  The  Phantom  Ship 

few  pieces  of  gold,  and  wished  to  be  allowed  a  room 
where  they  could  keep  their  table.  Whether  it  was  the 
want  of  society  or  the  desire  of  obtaining  the  gold, 
probably  both,  the  Commandant  offered  that  they  should 
join  his  table  and  pay  their  proportion  of  the  expenses ; 
a  proposal  which  was  gladly  acceded  to.  The  terms  were 
arranged,  and  Krantz  insisted  upon  putting  down  the  first 
week's  payment  in  advance.  From  that  moment  the  Com- 
mandant was  the  best  of  friends  with  them,  and  did  nothing 
but  caress  them  whom  he  had  so  politely  shoved  into  a 
dungeon  below  water.  It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  third 
day,  as  they  were  smoking  their  Manilla  cheroots,  that 
Krantz,  perceiving  the  Commandant  in  a  peculiarly  good 
humour,  ventured  to  ask  him  why  he  was  so  anxious  for 
a  certificate  of  the  captain's  death ;  and  in  reply  was 
informed,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  Philip,  that  Amine 
had  agreed  to  marry  him  upon  his  producing  such  a 
document. 

**  Impossible,"  cried  Philip,  starting  from  his  seat. 

"  Impossible,  signor,  and  why  impossible  ? "  replied  the 
Commandant  curling  his  mustachios  with  his  fingers,  with 
a  surprised  and  angry  air. 

**  I  should  have  said  impossible  too,"  interrupted  Krantz, 
who  perceived  the  consequences  of  Philip's  indiscretion, 
**  for  had  you  seen,  Commandant,  how  that  woman  doted 
upon  her  husband,  how  she  fondled  him,  you  would  with 
us  have  said,  it  was  impossible  that  she  could  have  trans- 
ferred her  affections  so  soon;  but  women  are  women, 
and  soldiers  have  a  great  advantage  over  other  people ; 
perhaps  she  has  some  excuse.  Commandant.  —  Here's 
your  health,  and  success  to  you." 

"It  is  exactly  what  I  would  have  said,"  added  Philip, 
acting  upon  Krantz's  plan  :  **  but  she  has  a  great  excuse. 
Commandant,  when  I  recollect  her  husband,  and  have 
you  in  my  presence." 

Soothed  with  the  flattery,  the  Commandant  replied, 
**  Why,  yes,  they  say  military  men  are  very  successful 
with  the  fair  sex. — I  presume  it  is  because  they  look  up 


The  Phantom  Ship  313 

to  us  for  protection,  and  where  can  they  be  better 
assured  of  it,  than  with  a  man  who  wears  a  sword  at 
his  thigh. — Come,  signors,  we  will  drink  her  health. 
Here's  to  the  beautiful  Amine  Vanderdecken." 

**To  the  beautiful  Amine  Vanderdecken,"  cried  Krantz, 
tossing  off  his  wine. 

"To  the  beautiful  Amine  Vanderdecken,"  followed 
Philip.  "  But,  Commandant,  are  you  not  afraid  to  trust 
her  at  Goa,  where  there  are  so  many  enticements  for 
a  woman,  so  many  allurements  held  out  for  her  sex  ? " 

"  No,  not  in  the  least  —  I  am  convinced  that  she 
loves  me — nay,  between  ourselves,  that  she  doats  upon 
me." 

**  Liar  !  "  exclaimed  Philip. 

"  How,  signor !  is  that  addressed  to  me  ? "  cried  the 
Commandant,  seizing  his  sword  which  lay  on  the  table. 

"No,  no,"  replied  Philip,  recovering  himself;  "it  was 
addressed  to  her  ;  I  have  heard  her  swear  to  her  husband, 
that  she  would  exist  for  no  other  but  him." 

"Ha!  ha!  Is  that  all?"  replied  the  Commandant, 
"  my  friend,  you  do  not  know  women." 

"  No,  nor  is  he  very  partial  to  them  either,"  replied 
Krantz,  who  then  leant  over  to  the  Commandant  and 
whispered,  "He  is  always  so  when  you  talk  of  women. 
He  was  cruelly  jilted  once,  and  hates  the  whole  sex." 

"  Then  we  must  be  merciful  to  him,"  replied  the  little 
officer  :  "  suppose  we  change  the  subject." 

When  they  repaired  to  their  own  room,  Krantz  pointed 
out  to  Philip  the  necessity  for  his  commanding  his  feel- 
ings, as  otherwise  they  would  agaiil  be  immured  in  the 
dungeon.  Philip  acknowledged  his  rashness,  but  pointed 
out  to  Krantz,  that  the  circumstance  of  Amine  having 
promised  to  marry  the  Commandant,  if  he  procured  certain 
intelligence  of  his  death,  was  the  cause  of  his  irritation. 
"  Can  it  be  so  ?  Is  it  possible  that  she  can  have  been 
so  false,"  exclaimed  Philip ;  "  yet  his  anxiety  to  procure 
that  document  seems  to  warrant  the  truth  of  his  assertion." 

"  I  think,   Philip,  that   in   all   probability   it   is   true," 


314  The  Phantom  Ship 

replied  Krantz,  carelessly  •,  **  but  of  this  you  may  be 
assured  that  she  has  been  placed  in  a  situation  of  great 
peril,  and  has  only  done  so  to  save  herself  for  your 
sake.  When  you  meet,  depend  upon  it  she  will  fully 
prove  to  you  that  necessity  had  compelled  her  to  deceive 
him  in  that  way,  and  that  if  she  had  not  done  so,  she 
would,  by  this  time,  have  fallen  a  prey  to  his  violence." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  replied  Philip,  gravely. 

"It  is  so,  Philip,  my  life  upon  it.  Do  not  for  a  moment 
harbour  a  thought  so  injurious  to  one  who  lives  but  in 
your  love.  Suspect  that  fond  and  devoted  creature  !  I 
blush  for  you,  Philip  Vanderdecken." 

**  You  are  right,  and  I  beg  her  pardon  for  allowing 
such  feelings  or  thoughts  to  have  for  one  moment  over- 
powered me,"  responded  Philip ;  **  but  it  is  a  hard  case 
for  a  husband,  who  loves  as  I  do,  to  hear  his  wife's 
name  bandied  about,  and  her  character  assailed  by  a  con« 
temptible  wretch  like  this  Commandant." 

"It  is,  I  grant ;  but  still  I  prefer  even  that  to  a 
dungeon,"  replied  Krantz,  "  and  so,  good-night." 

For  three  weeks  they  remained  in  the  fort,  every  day 
becoming  more  intimate  with  the  Commandant,  who  often 
communicated  with  Krantz,  when  Philip  was  not  present, 
turning  the  conversation  upon  his  love  for  Amine,  and 
entering  into  a  minute  detail  of  all  that  had  passed. 
Krantz  perceived  that  he  was  right  in  his  opinion,  and 
that  Amine  had  only  been  cajoling  the  Commandant,  that 
she  might  escape.  But  the  time  passed  heavily  away 
with  Philip  and  Krantz,  for  no  vessel  made  its  appearance. 

"  When  shall  I  see  her  again  ?  "  soliloquised  Philip  one 
morning  as  he  lolled  over  the  parapet,  in  company  with 
Krantz. 

"  See  !  who  ?  "  said  the  Commandant,  who  happened  to 
be  at  his  elbow. 

Philip  turned  round,  and  stammered  something  un- 
intelligible. 

"We  were  talking  of  his  sister,  Commandant,"  said 
Krantz,  taking  his  arm,  and  leading  him  away. — "  Do  not 


The  Phantom  Ship  315 

mention  the  subject  to  my  friend,  for  it  is  a  very  painful 
one,  and  forms  one  reason  why  he  is  so  inimical  to  the  sex. 
She  was  married  to  his  intimate  friend,  and  ran  away  from 
her  husband  :  it  was  his  only  sister  ;  and  the  disgrace  broke 
his  mother's  heart,  and  has  made  him  miserable.  Take  no 
notice  of  it,  I  beg." 

**  No,  no,  certainly  not ;  I  don't  wonder  at  it :  the  honour 
of  one's  family  is  a  serious  affair,"  replied  the  Commandant. 
— **  Poor  young  man,  what  with  his  sister's  conduct,  and 
the  falsehood  of  his  own  intended,  I  don't  wonder  at 
his  being  so  grave  and  silent.  Is  he  of  good  family, 
signor  ? " 

"  One  of  the  noblest  in  all  Holland,"  replied  Krantz ; 
— "  he  is  heir  to  a  large  property,  and  independent  by  the 
fortune  of  his  mother ;  but  these  two  unfortunate  events 
induced  him  to  quit  the  States  secretly,  and  he  embarked 
for  these  countries  that  he  might  forget  his  grief." 

"  One  of  the  noblest  families  ? "  replied  the  Commandant ; 
— **  then  he  is  under  an  assumed  name — Jacob  Vantreat  is 
not  his  true  name,  of  course." 

"  Oh  no,"  repied  Krantz  ; — "  that  it  is  not,  I  assure  you  ; 
but  my  lips  are  sealed  on  that  point." 

**  Of  course,  except  to  a  friend,  who  can  keep  a  secret. 
I  will  not  ask  it  now.     So  he  is  really  noble  ? " 

"  One  of  the  highest  families  in  the  country,  possessing 
great  wealth  and  influence — allied  to  the  Spanish  nobility 
by  marriage." 

"  Indeed  !  "  rejoined  the  Commandant,  musing — "I  dare 
say  he  knows  many  of  the  Portuguese  as  well." 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  they  are  all  more  or  less  connected." 

**  He  must  prove  to  you  a  most  valuable  friend,  Signor 
Richter." 

**  I  consider  myself  provided  for  for  life  as  soon  as  we 
return  home.  He  is  of  a  very  grateful,  generous  dis- 
position, as  he  would  prove  to  you,  should  you  ever  fall 
in  with  him  again." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it ;  and  I  can  assure  you  that  I 
am  heartily  tired  of  staying  in  this  country.     Here  I  shall 


3i6  The  Phantom  Ship 

remain  probably  for  two  years  more  before  I  am  relieved, 
and  then  shall  have  to  join  my  regiment  at  Goa,  and  not 
be  able  to  obtain  leave  to  return  home  without  resigning 
my  commission.     But  he  is  coming  this  way." 

After  this  conversation  with  Krantz,  the  alteration  in  the 
manner  of  the  Portuguese  Commandant,  who  had  the 
highest  respect  for  nobility,  was  most  marked.  He  treated 
Philip  with  a  respect,  which  was  observable  to  all  in  the 
fort ;  and  which  was,  until  Krantz  had  explained  the 
cause,  a  source  of  astonishment  to  Philip  himself.  The 
Commandant  often  introduced  the  subject  to  Krantz,  and 
sounded  him  as  to  whether  his  conduct  towards  Philip  had 
been  such,  as  to  have  made  a  favourable  impression  ;  for  the 
little  man  now  hoped,  that,  through  such  an  influential 
channel,  he  might  reap  some  benefit. 

Some  days  after  this  conversation,  as  they  were  all 
three  seated  at  table,  a  corporal  entered,  and  saluting  the 
Commandant,  informed  him  that  a  Dutch  sailor  had 
arrived  at  the  fort,  and  wished  to  know  whether  he  should 
be  admitted.  Both  Philip  and  Krantz  turned  pale  at  this 
communication — they  had  a  presentiment  of  evil,  but  they 
said  nothing.  The  sailor  was  ordered  in,  and  in  a  few 
minutes,  who  should  make  his  appearance  but  their 
tormentor,  the  one-eyed  Schriften.  On  perceiving  Philip 
and  Krantz  seated  at  the  table  he  immediately  exclaimed, 
"  Oh !  Captain  Philip  Vanderdecken,  and  my  good  friend 
Mynheer  Krantz,  first  mate  of  the  good  ship  Utrechty  I  am 
glad  to  meet  you  again." 

"  Captain  Philip  Vanderdecken ! "  roared  the  Com- 
mandant, as  he  sprung  from  his  chair. 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  Captain,  Mynheer  Philip  Vander- 
decken J  and  that  is  my  first  mate.  Mynheer  Krantz  ;  both 
of  the  good  ship  Utrecht :  we  were  wrecked  together,  were 
we  not.  Mynheer  ?     He  !  he  !  " 

**  Sangue  de — Vanderdecken  !  the  husband  ?  Corpo  del 
Diavolo — is  it  possible  ?  "  cried  the  Commandant,  panting 
for  breath,  as  he  seized  his  long  sword  with  both  hands, 
and  clenched   it  with   fury — **  What  then,  I  have  been 


The  Phantom  Ship  317 

deceived,  cajoled,  laughed  at !  "  Then,  after  a  pause — the 
veins  of  his  forehead  distending  so  as  almost  to  burst- — he 
continued,  with  a  suppressed  voice,  "  Most  noble  sir,  I 
thank  you ;  but  now  it  is  my  turn. — What,  ho  !  there ! 
Corporal — men,  here  instantly— quick  !  " 

Philip  and  Krantz  felt  convinced  that  all  denial  was 
useless.  Philip  folded  his  arms  and  made  no  reply. 
Krantz  merely  observed,  "  A  little  reflection  will  prove  to 
you,  sir,  that  this  indignation  is  not  warranted." 

**  Not  warranted  !  "  rejoined  the  Commandant  with  a 
sneer  5  "  you  have  deceived  me  ;  but  you  are  caught  in 
your  own  trap.  I  have  the  paper  signed,  which  I  shall 
not  fail  to  make  use  of.  Tou  are  dead,  you  know, 
captain ;  I  have  your  own  hand  to  it,  and  your  wife  will 
be  glad  to  believe  it." 

"  She  has  deceived  you.  Commandant,  to  get  out  of 
your  power,  nothing  more,"  said  Vanderdecken.  "She 
would  spurn  a  contemptible  withered  wretch  like  yourself, 
were  she  as  free  as  the  wind." 

**  Go  on,  go  on ;  it  will  be  my  turn  soon.  Corporal, 
throw  these  two  men  into  the  dungeon :  a  sentry  at  the 
door  till  further  orders.  Away  with  them.  Most  noble 
sir,  perhaps  your  influential  friends  in  Holland  and  Spain 
will  enable  you  to  get  out  again." 

Philip  and  Krantz  were  led  away  by  the  soldiers,  who 
were  very  much  surprised  at  this  change  of  treatment. 
Schriften  followed  them  ;  and  as  they  walked  across  the 
rampart  to  the  stairs  which  led  to  their  prison,  Krantz, 
in  his  fury,  burst  from  the  soldiers,  and  bestowed  a  kick 
upon  Schriften  which  sent  him  several  feet  forward  on 
his  face. 

"That  was  a  good  one — he!  he!"  cried  Schriften, 
smiling  and  looking  at  Krantz  as  he  regained  his  legs. 

There  was  an  eye,  however,  which  met  theirs  with  an 
intelligent  glance,  as  they  descended  the  stairs  to  the 
dungeon.  It  was  that  of  the  soldier  Pedro.  It  told  them 
that  there  was  one  friend  upon  whom  they  could  rely, 
and  who  would  spare  no  endeavour  to  assist  them  in  their 


31 8  The  Phantom  Ship 

new  difficulty.  It  was  a  consolation  to  them  both ;  a  ray 
of  hope  which  cheered  them  as  they  once  more  descended 
the  narrow  steps,  and  heard  the  heavy  key  turned  which 
again  secured  them  in  their  dungeon. 


Chapter  XXXIII 

"  Thus  are  all  our  hopes  wrecked,"  said  Philip,  mourn- 
fully ;  "  what  chance  have  we  now  of  escaping  from  this 
little  tyrant  ? " 

"  Chances  turn  up,"  replied  Krantz  ;  **  at  present,  the 
prospect  is  not  very  cheering.     Let  us  hope  for  the  best. 

**I  have  an  idea  in  my  head  which  may  probably  be 
turned  to  some  account,"  added  Krantz  5  "  as  soon  as  the 
little  man  s  fury  is  over." 

"  Which  is " 

"  That,  much  as  he  likes  your  wife,  there  is  something 
which  he  likes  quite  as  well — money.  Now,  as  we 
know  where  all  the  treasure  is  concealed,  I  think  he  may 
be  tempted  to  offer  us  our  liberty,  if  we  were  to  promise 
to  put  it  into  his  possession." 

**  That  is  not  impossible.  Confound  that  little  malignant 
wretch  Schriften ;  he  certainly  is  not,  as  you  say,  of  this 
world.  He  has  been  my  persecutor  through  life,  and 
appears  to  act  from  an  impulse  not  his  own." 

**  Then  must  he  be  part  and  portion  of  your  destiny. 
I'm  thinking  whether  our  noble  Commandant  intends  to 
leave  us  without  anything  to  eat  or  drink." 

"  I  should  not  be  surprised  :  that  he  will  attempt  my 
life  I  am  convinced  of,  but  not  that  he  can  take  it;  he 
may,  however,  add  to  its  sufferings." 

As  soon  as  the  Commandant  had  recovered  from  his 
fury,  he  ordered  Schriften  in,  to  be  examined  more 
particularly ;  but  after  every  search  made  for  him, 
Schriften  was  no  where  to  be  found.  The  sentry  at 
the  gate   declared  that   he   had  not  passed  j   and   a  new 


The  Phantom  Ship  319 

search  was  ordered,  but  in  vain.  Even  the  dungeons 
and  galleries  below  were  examined,  but  without  success. 

"  Can  he  be  locked  up  with  the  other  prisoners  ? " 
thought  the  Commandant :  "  impossible — but  I  will  go 
and  see." 

He  descended  and  opened  the  door  of  the  dungeon, 
looked  in,  and  was  about  to  return  without  speaking, 
when  Krantz  said,  "  Well,  signor,  this  is  kind  treatment, 
after  having  lived  so  long  and  so  amicably  together ;  to 
throw  us  into  prison  merely  because  a  fellow  declares 
that  we  are  not  what  we  represented  ourselves  to  be  j 
perhaps  you  will  allow  us  a  little  water  to  drink  ?  " 

The  Commandant,  confused  by  the  extraordinary  dis- 
appearance of  Schriften,  hardly  knew  how  to  reply.  He 
at  last  said  in  a  milder  tone  than  was  to  be  anticipated, 
**  I  will  order  them  to  bring  some,  signor." 

He  then  closed  the  door  of  the  dungeon  and  disappeared. 

**  Strange,"  observed  Philip,  "  he  appears  more  pacified 
already." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  door  was  again  opened,  and  Pedro 
came  in  with  a  chatty  of  water. 

"  He  has  disappeared  like  magic,  signors,  and  is  no 
where  to  be  found.  We  have  searched  everywhere,  but 
in  vain." 

"  Who  ? — the  little  old  seaman  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  whom  you  kicked  as  you  were  led  to  prison. 
The  people  all  say,  that  it  must  have  been  a  ghost.  The 
sentry  declares  that  he  never  left  the  fort,  nor  came  near 
him  ;  so,  how  he  has  got  away  is  a  riddle,  which  I  per- 
ceive, has  frightened  our  Commandant  not  a  little." 

Krantz  gave  a  long  whistle  as  he  looked  at  Philip. 

**  Are  you  to  have  charge  of  us,  Pedro  ? " 

"  I  hope  so." 

"  Well,  tell  the  Commandant  that  when  he  is  ready  to 
listen  to  me,  I  have  something  of  importance  to  com- 
municate." 

Pedro  went  out. 

"Now,  Philip,  I  can  frighten  this  little  man  into  allow- 


320  The  Phantom  Ship 

ing  us  to  go  free,  if  you  will  consent  to  say  that  you  are 
not  the  husband  of  Amine." 

**  That  I  cannot  do,  Krantz.  I  will  not  utter  such  a 
falsehood." 

**  I  was  afraid  so,  and  yet  it  appears  to  me  that  we  may 
avail  ourselves  of  duplicity  to  meet  cruelty  and  injustice. 
Unless  you  do  as  I  propose,  I  hardly  know  how  I  can 
manage  it  •,  however,  I  will  try  what  I  can  do." 

"  I  will  assist  you  in  every  way,  except  disclaiming  my 
wife  :  that  I  never  will  do." 

"Well  then,  I  will  see  if  I  can  make  up  a  story  that 
will  suit  all  parties  :  let  me  think." 

Krantz  continued  musing  as  he  walked  up  and  down, 
and  was  still  occupied  with  his  own  thoughts  when  the 
door  opened,  and  the  Commandant  made  his  appearance. 

"  You  have  something  to  impart  to  me,  I  understand — 
what  is  it  ?  " 

"  First,  sir,  bring  that  little  wretch  down  here  and 
confront  him  with  us." 

"  I  see  no  occasion  for  that,"  replied  the  Commandant  j 
**  what,  sir,  may  you  have  to  say  ? " 

**  Do  you  know  who  you  have  in  your  company  when 
you  speak  to  that  one-eyed  deformity  ? " 

**  A  Dutch  sailor,  I  presume." 

**No — a  spirit — a  demon — who  occasioned  the  loss  of 
the  vessel  ;  and  who  brings  misfortune  wherever  he 
appears." 

"  Holy  Virgin  !     What  do  you  tell  me,  signor  ? " 

"The  fact,  signor  Commandant.  We  are  obliged  to 
you  for  confining  us  here,  while  he  is  in  the  fort ;  but 
beware  for  yourself." 

"  You  are  laughing  at  me." 

"  I  am  not ;  bring  him  down  here.  This  noble  gentle- 
man has  power  over  him.  I  wonder,  indeed,  at  his  daring 
to  stay  while  he  is  so  near  •,  he  has  on  his  heart  that  which 
will  send  him  trembling  away. — Bring  him  down  here,  and 
you  shall  at  once  see  him  vanish  with  curses  and  screams." 

"  Heaven  defend  us  !  "  cried  the  Commandant,  terrified. 


The  Phantom  Ship  321 

**  Send  for  him  now,  signer  ? " 

"  He  is  gone — vanished — not  to  be  found  !  " 

"I  thought  as  much,"  replied  Philip,  significantly. 

**  He  is  gone — vanished — you  say.  Then,  Commandant, 
you  will  probably  apologise  to  this  noble  gentleman  for 
your  treatment  of  him,  and  permit  us  to  return  to  out 
former  apartments.  I  will  there  explain  to  you  this  most 
strange  and  interesting  history." 

The  Commandant,  more  confused  than  ever,  hardly 
knew  how  to  act.  At  last  he  bowed  to  Philip,  and  begged 
that  he  would  consider  himself  at  liberty ;  and,  continued 
he  to  Krantz,  **I  shall  be  most  happy  at  an  immediate 
explanation  of  this  affair,  for  everything  appears  so  con- 
tradictory." 

"  And  must,  until  it  is  explained.  I  will  follow  you 
into  your  own  room ;  a  courtesy  you  must  not  expect 
from  my  noble  friend,  who  is  not  a  little  indignant  at  your 
treatment  of  him." 

The  Commandant  went  out,  leaving  the  door  open. 
Philip  and  Krantz  followed :  the  former  retiring  to  his 
own  apartment  5  the  latter,  bending  his  steps  after  the 
Commandant  to  his  sitting-room.  The  confusioi  which 
whirled  in  the  brain  of  the  Commandant,  made  him  appear 
most  ridiculous.  He  hardly  knew  whether  to  be  im- 
perative or  civil;  whether  he  was  really  speaking  to  the 
first  mate  of  the  vessel,  or  to  another  party;  or  whether 
he  had  insulted  a  noble,  or  been  cajoled  hy  a  captain  of  a 
vessel:  he  threw  himself  down  on  his  sofa,  and  Krantz, 
taking  his  seat  in  a  chair,  stated  as  follows : 

**  You  have  been  partly  deceived  and  partly  not.  Com- 
mandant. When  we  first  came  here,  not  knowing  what 
treatment  we  might  receive,  we  concealed  our  ran  k ;  after- 
wards I  made  known  to  you  the  rank  of  my  friend  on  shore; 
but  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  say  anything  about  his 
situation  on  board  of  the  vessel.  The  fact  is,  as  you  may 
well  suppose  of  a  person  of  his  dignity,  he  was  o  wner  of  the 
fine  ship  which  was  lost  through  the  intervention  of  that  one- 
eyed  wretch ;  but  of  that  by-and-bye.  Now  for  the  story, 
p.s.  X 


322  The  Phantom  Ship 

About  ten  years  ago  there  was  a  great  miser  in  Amsterdam ; 
he  lived  in  the  most  miserable  way  that  a  man  could  live 
in ;  wore  nothing  but  rags ;  and  having  been  formerly  a 
seaman,  his  attire  was  generally  of  the  description  common 
to  his  class.  He  had  one  son,  to  whom  he  denied  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  and  whom  he  treated  most  cruelly.  After  vain 
attempts  to  possess  a  portion  of  his  father's  wealth,  the 
devil  instigated  the  son  to  murder  the  old  man,  who  was 
one  day  found  dead  in  his  bed ;  but  as  there  were  no  marks 
of  violence  which  could  be  sworn  to,  although  suspicion 
fell  upon  the  son,  the  affair  was  hushed  up,  and  the  young 
man  took  possession  of  his  father's  wealth.  It  was  fully 
expected  that  there  would  now  be  rioting  and  squandering 
on  the  part  of  the  heir,  as  is  usually  the  case ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  he  never  spent  anything,  but  appeared  to  be  as 
poor — even  poorer — than  he  ever  was.  Instead  of  being 
gay  and  merry,  he  was,  in  appearance,  the  most  miserable, 
downcast  person  in  the  world ;  and  he  wandered  about, 
seeking  a  crust  of  bread  wherever  he  could  find  it.  Some 
said  that  he  had  been  inoculated  by  his  father,  and  was  as 
great  a  miser  as  his  father  had  been ;  others  shook  their 
heads,  and  said  that  all  was  not  right.  At  last,  after  pining 
away  for  six  or  seven  years,  the  young  man  died  at  an  early 
age,  without  confession  or  absolution;  in  fact,  he  was 
found  dead  in  his  bed.  Beside  the  bed  there  was  a  paper, 
addressed  to  the  authorities,  in  which  he  acknowledged 
that  he  had  murdered  his  father  for  the  sake  of  his  wealth ; 
and  that  when  he  went  to  take  some  of  it  for  his  expenses 
on  the  day  afterwards,  he  found  his  father's  spirit  sitting 
on  the  bags  of  money,  and  menacing  him  with  instant 
death,  if  he  touched  one  piece.  He  returned  again  and 
again,  and  found  his  father  a  sentinel  as  before.  At  last, 
he  gave  up  attempting  to  obtain  it ;  his  crime  made  him 
miserable,  and  he  continued  in  possession,  without  daring 
to  expend  one  sixpence  of  all  the  money.  He  requested 
that,  as  his  end  was  approaching,  the  money  should  be 
given  to  the  church  of  his  patron  saint,  wherever  that 
church  might  be  found  j  if  there  was  not  one,  then  that  a 


The  Phantom  Ship  323 

church  might  be  built  and  endowed.  Upon  investigation, 
it  appeared  that  there  was  no  such  church  in  either  Holland 
or  the  Low  Countries  (for  you  know  that  there  are  not 
many  Catholics  there);  and  they  applied  to  the  Catholic 
countries,  Lisbon  and  Spain,  but  there  again  they  were  at 
fault ',  and  it  was  discovered,  that  the  only  church  dedicated 
to  that  saint  was  one  which  had  been  erected  by  a  Portu- 
guese nobleman  in  the  city  of  Goa,  in  the  East  Indies. 
The  Catholic  bishop  determined  that  the  money  should  be 
sent  to  Goa;  and,  in  consequence,  it  was  embarked  on 
board  of  my  patron's  vessel,  to  be  delivered  up  to  the  first 
Portuguese  authorities  he  might  fall  in  with. 

"  Well,  signor,  the  money,  for  better  security,  was  put 
down  into  the  captain's  cabin,  which,  of  course,  was 
occupied  by  my  noble  friend,  and  when  he  went  to  bed  the 
first  night  he  was  surprised  to  perceive  a  little  one  eyed 
old  man  sitting  on  the  boxes." 

"  Merciful  Saviour  !  "  exclaimed  the  Commandant, 
"  what,  the  very  same  little  man  who  appeared  here  this 
day?" 

"  The  very  same,"  replied  Krantz. 

The  Commandant  crossed  himself,  and  Krantz  pro- 
ceeded : — "  My  noble  patron  was,  as  you  may  imagine, 
rather  alarmed ;  but  he  is  very  courageous  in  disposition, 
and  he  inquired  of  the  old  man  who  he  was,  and  how  he 
had  come  on  board  ? 

"  *  I  came  on  board  with  my  own  money,'  replied  the 
spectre.  *  It  is  all  my  own,  and  I  shall  keep  it.  The 
church  shall  never  have  one  stiva  of  it  if  I  can  help  it.' 

"Whereupon,  my  patron  pulled  out  a  famous  relic, 
which  he  wears  on  his  bosom,  and  held  it  towards  him ;  at 
which  the  old  man  howled  and  screamed,  and  then  most 
unwillingly  disappeared.  For  two  more  nights  the  spectre 
was  obstinate,  but  at  the  sight  of  the  relic,  he  invariably 
went  off  howling,  as  if  in  great  pain ;  every  time  that  he 
went  away,  invariably  crying  out  *  Lost — lost ! '  and  during 
the  remainder  of  the  voyage  he  did  not  trouble  us  any 
more. 


324  The  Phantom  Ship 

/*We  thought,  when  our  patron  told  us  this,  that  he 
referred  to  the  money  being  lost  to  him,  but  it  appears  he 
referred  to  the  ship ;  indeed  it  was  very  inconsiderate  to 
have  taken  the  wealth  of  a  parricide  on  board  5  we  could 
not  expect  any  good  fortune  with  such  a  freight,  and  so  it 
proved.  When  the  ship  was  lost,  our  patron  was  very 
anxious  to  save  the  money;  it  was  put  on  the  raft,  and 
when  we  landed,  it  was  taken  on  shore  and  buried,  that  it 
might  be  restored  and  given  to  the  church  to  which  it  had 
been  bequeathed ;  but  the  men  who  buried  it  are  all  dead, 
and  there  is  no  one  but  my  friend  here,  the  patron,  who 
knows  the  spot. — I  forgot  to  say,  that  as  soon  as  the  money 
was  landed  on  the  island  and  buried,  the  spectre  appeared 
as  before,  and  seated  himself  over  the  spot  where  the  money 
was  interred.  I  think,  if  this  had  not  been  the  case,  the 
seamen  would  have  taken  possession  of  it.  But,  by  his 
appearance  here  this  day,  I  presume  he  is  tired,  and  has 
deserted  his  charge,  or  else  has  come  here  that  the  money 
might  be  sent  for,  though  I  cannot  understand  why." 

**  Strange — very  strange  ! — so  there  is  a  large  treasure 
buried  in  the  sand  ?  " 

"  There  is." 

"  I  should  think,  by  the  spectre's  coming  here,  that  it 
has  abandoned  it." 

"  Of  course  it  has,  or  it  would  not  be  here." 

**  What  can  you  imagine  to  have  been  the  cause  of  its 
coming  ?  " 

**  Probably  to  announce  its  intention,  and  request  my 
friend  to  have  the  treasure  sent  for  ;  but  you  know  he  was 
interrupted." 

"  Very  true  5  but  he  called  your  friend  Vanderdecken." 

"  It  was  the  name  which  he  took  on  board  of  the  ship." 

"  And  it  was  the  name  of  the  lady." 

"  Very  true ;  he  fell  in  with  her  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  brought  her  away  with  him." 

"  Then  she  is  his  wife  ?  " 

"  I  must  not  answer  that  question.  It  is  qiilte  sufficient 
that  he  treats  her  as  his  wife." 


The  Phantom  Ship  325 

"  Ah !  indeed.  But  about  this  treasure.  You  say 
that  no  one  knows  where  it  is  buried,  but  the  patron 
as  you  call  him  ?  " 

"  No  one." 

"  Will  you  express  my  regret  at  what  has  passed,  and 
tell  him  I  will  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  to-morrow." 

"  Certainly,  signor,"  replied  Krantz,  rising  from  his 
chair;  and  wishing  the  Commandant  a  good  evening  as 
he  retired. 

"I  was  after  one  thing  and  have  found  another.  A 
spectre  that  must  have  been;  but  he  must  be  a  bold 
spectre  that  can  frighten  me  from  doubloons — besides, 
I  can  call  in  the  priests.  Now,  let  me  see ;  if  I  let  this 
man  go  on  condition  that  he  reveals  the  site  of  the  treasure 
to  the  authorities,  that  is  to  me,  why  then  I  need  not  lose 
the  fair  young  woman.  If  I  forward  this  paper  to  her, 
why  then  I  gain  her — but  I  must  first  get  rid  of  him. 
Of  the  two,  I  prefer — yes ! — the  gold !  But  I  cannot 
obtain  both.  At  all  events,  let  me  obtain  the  money 
first :  I  want  it  more  than  the  church  does :  but,  if  I  do 
get  the  money,  these  two  men  can  expose  me.  I  must 
get  rid  of  them  ;  silence  them  for  ever — and  then  perhaps 
I  may  obtain  the  fair  Amine  also.  Yes,  their  death  will 
be  necessary  to  secure  either — that  is,  after  I  have  the 
first  in  my  possession. — Let  me  think." 

For  some  minutes  the  Commandant  walked  up  and 
down  the  room,  reflecting  upon  the  best  method  of 
proceeding.  "  He  says  it  was  a  spectre,  and  he  has 
told  a  plausible  story,"  thought  he ;  "  but  I  don't  know — 
I  have  my  doubts — they  may  be  tricking  me.  Well,  be 
it  so :  if  the  money  is  there,  I  will  have  it ;  and  if  not, 
I  will  have  my  revenge.  Yes !  I  have  it :  not  only  must 
they  be  removed,  but  by  degrees  all  the  others  too  who 
assist  in  bringing  the  treasure  away; — then — but — who's 
there,  Pedro  ? " 

"  Yes,  signor." 

**  How  long  have  you  been  here  ?  " 

"But  as  you  spoke,  signor:  I  thought  I  heard  you  call." 


326  The  Phantom  Ship 

'*  You  may  go — I  want  nothing." 

Pedro  departed ;  but  he  had  been  some  time  in  the 
room,  and  had  overheard  the  whole  of  the  Commandant's 
soliloquy. 


Chapter    XXXIV 

It  was  a  bright  morning  when  the  Portuguese  vessel  on 
which  Amine  was  on  board  entered  into  the  bay  and 
roadstead  of  Goa.  Goa  was  then  at  its  zenith — a  proud, 
luxurious,  superb,  wealthy  city,  the  capital  of  the  East, 
a  City  of  Palaces,  whose  Viceroy  reigned  supreme.  As 
they  approached  the  river  the  two  mouths  of  which  form 
the  island  upon  which  Goa  is  built,  the  passengers  were 
all  on  deck ;  and  the  Portuguese  captain,  who  had  often 
been  there,  pointed  out  to  Amine  the  most  remarkable 
buildings.  When  they  had  passed  the  forts  they  entered 
the  river,  the  whole  line  of  whose  banks  were  covered 
with  the  country  seats  of  the  nobility  and  hidalgos — 
splendid  buildings  embosomed  in  groves  of  orange  trees, 
whose  perfume  scented  the  air. 

"  There,  signora,  is  the  country  palace  of  the  Viceroy, "^ 
said  the  captain,  pointing  to  a  building  which  covered 
nearly  three  acres  of  ground. 

The  ship  sailed  on  until  they  arrived  nearly  abreast  of 
the  town,  when  Amine's  eyes  were  directed  to  the  lofty 
spires  of  the  churches  and  other  public  edifices — for  Amine 
had  seen  but  little  of  cities  during  her  life,  as  may  be 
perceived  when  her  history  is  recollected. 

"  That  is  the  Jesuits'  church,  with  their  establishment," 
said  the  captain,  pointing  to  a  magnificent  pile.  "  In  the 
church,  now  opening  upon  us,  lay  the  canonised  bones  of 
the  celebrated  Saint  Francisco,  who  sacrificed  his  life  in 
his  zeal  for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  in  these 
countries." 

"I  have  heard  of  him  from  Father  Mathias,"  replied 
Amine ;  "  but  what  building  is  that  ? " 


The  Phantom  Ship  327 

"  The  Augustine  convent ;  and  the  other,  to  the  right, 
is  the  Dominican." 

"  Splendid,  indeed  ! "  observed  Amine. 

**  The  building  you  see  now,  on  the  water-side,  is  the 
Viceroy's  palace ;  that  to  the  right,  again,  is  the  convent 
of  the  bare-footed  Carmelites :  yon  lofty  spire  is  the 
cathedral  of  St  Catherine,  and  that  beautiful  and  light 
piece  of  architecture  is  the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Pity. 
You  observe  there  a  building,  with  a  dome,  rising  behind 
the  Viceroy's  palace  ? " 

"  I  do,"  replied  Amine. 

"  That  is  the  Holy  Inquisition." 

Although  Amine  had  heard  Philip  speak  of  the  inquisi- 
tion, she  knew  little  about  its  properties;  but  a  sudden 
tremor  passed  through  her  frame  as  the  name  was 
mentioned,  which  she  could  not  herself  account  for. 

"Now  we  open  upon  the  Viceroy's  palace,  and  you 
perceive  what  a  beautiful  building  it  is,"  continued  the 
captain ;  "  that  large  pile  a  little  above  it  is  the  Custom- 
house, abreast  of  which  we  shall  come  to  an  anchor.  I 
must  leave  you  now,  signora." 

A  few  minutes  afterwards  the  ship  anchored  opposite 
the  Custom-house.  The  captain  and  passengers  went  on 
shore,  with  the  exception  of  Amine,  who  remained  in  the 
vessel,  while  Father  Mathias  went  in  search  of  an  eligible 
place  of  abode. 

The  next  morning  the  priest  returned  on  board  the  ship, 
with  the  intelligence  that  he  had  obtained  a  reception  for 
Amine  in  the  Ursuline  convent,  the  abbess  of  which 
establishment  he  was  acquainted  with ;  and,  before  Amine 
went  on  shore,  he  cautioned  her  that  the  lady-abbess  was 
a  strict  woman,  and  would  be  pleased  if  she  conformed,  as 
much  as  possible,  to  the  rules  of  the  convent;  that  this 
convent  only  received  young  persons  of  the  highest  and 
most  wealthy  families,  and  he  trusted  that  she  would  be 
happy  there.  He  also  promised  to  call  upon  her,  and  talk 
upon  those  subjects  so  dear  to  his  heart,  and  so  necessary 
to   her   salvation.      The   earnestness   and   kindness   with 


328  The  Phantom  Ship 

which  the  old  man  spoke  melted  Amine  to  tears,  and  the 
holy  father  quitted  her  side  to  go  down  and  collect  her 
baggage,  with  a  warmth  of  feeling  towards  her  which  he 
had  seldom  felt  before,  and  with  greater  hopes  than  ever 
that  his  endeavours  to  convert  her  would  not  ultimately  be 
thrown  away. 

"  He  is  a  good  man,"  thought  Amine,  as  she  descended 
— and  Amine  was  right.  Father  Mathias  was  a  good  man, 
but,  like  all  men,  he  was  not  perfect.  A  zealot  in  the 
cause  of  his  religion,  he  would  have  cheerfully  sacrificed 
his  life  as  a  martyr,  but  if  opposed  or  thwarted  in  his 
views,  he  could  then  be  cruel  and  unjust. 

Father  Mathias  had  many  reasons  for  placing  Amine  in 
the  Ursuline  convent.  He  felt  bound  to  oiFer  her  that 
protection  which  he  had  so  long  received  under  her  roof; 
he  wished  her  to  be  under  the  surveillance  of  the  abbess, 
for  he  could  not  help  imagining,  although  he  had  no  proof, 
that  she  was  still  essaying  or  practising  forbidden  arts. 
He  did  not  state  this  to  the  abbess,  as  he  felt  it  would  be 
unjust  to  raise  suspicions;  but  he  represented  Amine  as 
one  who  would  do  honour  to  their  faith,  to  which  she  was 
not  yet  quite  converted.  The  very  idea  of  effecting  a 
conversion  is  to  the  tenants  of  a  convent  an  object  of 
surpassing  interest,  and  the  abbess  was  much  better  pleased 
to  receive  one  who  required  her  councils  and  persuasions, 
than  a  really  pious  Christian  who  would  give  her  no 
trouble.  Amine  went  on  shore  with  Father  Mathias  ;  she 
refused  the  palanquin  which  had  been  prepared  for  her, 
and  walked  up  to  the  convent.  They  landed  between 
the  Custom-house  and  the  Viceroy's  palace,  passed  through 
to  the  large  square  behind  it,  and  then  went  up  the  Strada 
Diretta,  or  Straight  Street,  which  led  up  to  the  Church  of 
Pity,  near  to  which  the  convent  is  situated.  This  street  is 
the  finest  on  Goa,  and  is  called  Strada  Diretta,  from  the 
singular  fact  that  almost  all  the  streets  in  Goa  are  quad- 
rants or  segments  of  circles.  Amine  was  astonished :  the 
houses  were  of  stone,  lofty  and  massive;  at  each  story 
was  thrown  out  a  balcony  of  marble,  elaborately  carved ; 


The  Phantom  Ship  329 

and  over  each  door  were  the  arms  of  the  nobility,  or 
hidalgos,  to  whom  the  houses  belonged.  The  square 
behind  the  palace,  and  the  wide  streets,  were  filled  with 
living  beings ;  elephants  with  gorgeous  trappings ;  led  or 
mounted  horses  in  superb  housings ;  palanquins,  carried 
by  natives  in  splendid  liveries ;  running  footmen ;  syces ; 
every  variety  of  nation,  from  the  proud  Portuguese  to  the 
half-covered  native ;  Mussulmans,  Arabs,  Hindoos,  Ar- 
menians ;  officers  and  soldiers  in  their  uniforms,  all  crowded 
and  thronged  together :  all  was  bustle  and  motion.  Such 
was  the  wealth,  the  splendour,  and  luxury  of  the  proud 
city  of  Goa — the  Empress  of  the  East  at  the  time  we  are 
now  describing. 

In  half  an  hour  they  forced  their  way  through  the 
crowd,  and  arrived  at  the  convent,  where  Amine  was  well 
received  by  the  abbess  ;  and  after  a  few  minutes'  conversa- 
tion, Father  Mathias  took  his  leave :  upon  which  the  abbess 
immediately  set  about  her  task  of  conversion.  The  first 
thing  she  did  was  to  order  some  dried  sweetmeats — not  a  bad 
beginning,  as  they  were  palatable ;  but  as  she  happened  to 
be  very  ignorant,  and  unaccustomed  to  theological  dis- 
putes, her  subsequent  arguments  did  not  go  down  as  well 
as  the  fruit.  After  a  rambling  discourse  of  about  an  hour, 
the  old  lady  felt  tired,  and  felt  as  if  she  had  done  wonders. 
Amine  was  then  introduced  to  the  nuns,  most  of  whom 
were  young  and  all  of  good  family.  Her  dormitory  was 
shown  to  her,  and  expressing  a  wish  to  be  alone,  she  was 
followed  into  her  chamber  by  only  sixteen  of  them,  which 
was  about  as  many  as  the  chamber  could  well  hold. 

We  must  pass  over  the  two  months  during  which  Amine 
remained  in  the  convent.  Father  Mathias  had  taken  every 
step  to  ascertain  if  her  husband  had  been  saved  upon  any 
of  the  islands  which  were  under  the  Portuguese  dominions, 
but  could  gain  no  information.  Amine  was  soon  weary  of 
the  convent ;  she  was  persecuted  by  the  harangues  of  the 
old  abbess,  but  more  disgusted  at  the  conduct  and  conver- 
sation of  the  nuns.  They  all  had  secrets  to  confide  to  her 
— secrets  which  had  been  confided  to  the  whole  convent 


330  The  Phantom  Ship 

before :  such  secrets,  such  stories,  so  different  from 
Amine's  chaste  ideas,  such  impurity  of  thought  that  Amine 
was  disgusted  at  them.  But  how  could  it  be  otherwise ; 
the  poor  creatures  had  been  taken  from  the  world  in  the 
full  bloom  of  youth  under  a  ripening  sun,  and  had  been 
immured  in  this  unnatural  manner  to  gratify  the  avarice 
and  pride  of  their  families.  Its  inmates  being  wholly 
composed  of  the  best  families,  the  rules  of  this  convent 
were  not  so  strict  as  others ;  licenses  were  given — greater 
licenses  were  taken — and  Amine,  to  her  surprise,  found  that 
in  this  society,  devoted  to  Heaven,  there  were  exhibited 
more  of  the  bad  passions  of  human  nature  than  she  had 
before  met  with.  Constantly  watched,  never  allowed  a 
moment  to  herself,  her  existence  became  unbearable :  and 
after  three  months  she  requested  Father  Mathias  would 
find  her  some  other  place  of  refuge  -,  telling  him  frankly 
that  her  residence  in  that  place  was  not  very  likely  to  assist 
her  conversion  to  the  tenets  of  his  faith.  Father  Mathias 
fully  comprehended  her,  but  replied,  "  I  have  no 
means." 

"  Here  are  means,"  replied  Amine,  taking  the  diamond 
ring  from  her  finger :  "  this  is  worth  eight  hundred 
ducats  in  our  country  •,  here  I  know  not  how  much." 

Father  Mathias  took  the  ring.  "  I  will  call  upon 
you  to-morrow  morning,  and  let  you  know  what  I  have 
done.  I  shall  acquaint  the  lady  abbess  that  you  are 
going  to  your  husband,  for  it  would  not  be  safe  to  let 
her  suppose  that  you  have  reasons  for  quitting  the  con- 
vent. I  have  heard  what  you  state  mentioned  before, 
but  have  treated  it  as  scandal;  but  you,  I  know,  are 
incapable  of  falsehood." 

The  next  day  Father  Mathias  returned,  and  had  an 
interview  with  the  abbess,  who  after  a  time  sent  for 
Amine,  and  told  her  that  it  was  necessary  that  she 
should  leave  the  convent.  She  consoled  her  as  well  as 
she  could  at  leaving  such  a  happy  place,  sent  for  some 
sweetmeats  to  make  the  parting  less  trying,  gave  her  her 
blessing,   and  made   her   over  to  Father  Mathias  ;   who, 


The  Phantom  Ship  331 

when  they  were  alone,  informed  Amine  that  he  had 
disposed  of  the  ring  for  eighteen  hundred  dollars,  and 
had  procured  apartments  for  her  in  the  house  of  a  widow 
lady,  with  whom  she  was  to  board. 

Taking  leave  of  the  nuns,  Amine  quitted  the  convent 
with  Father  Mathias,  and  was  soon  installed  in  her  new 
apartments,  in  a  house  which  formed  part  of  a  spacious 
square  called  the  Terra  di  Sabaio.  After  the  introduction 
to  her  hostess.  Father  Mathias  left  her.  Amine  found 
her  apartments  fronting  the  square,  airy  and  commodious. 
The  landlady,  who  had  escorted  her  to  view  them,  not 
having  left  her,  she  inquired  "what  large  church  that 
was  on  the  other  side  of  the  square  ? " 

"  It  is  the  Ascension,"  replied  the  lady ;  "  the  music  is 
very  fine  there ;  we  will  go  and  hear  it  to-morrow,  if 
you  please." 

**  And  that  massive  building  in  face  of  us  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  Holy  Inquisition,"  said  the  widow,  cross- 
ing herself. 

Amine  again  started,  she  knew  not  why.  "  Is  that 
your  child  ? "  said  Amine,  as  a  boy  of  about  twelve 
years  old  entered  the  room. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  widow,  "  the  only  one  that  is  left 
me.  May  God  preserve  him."  The  boy  was  handsome 
and  intelligent,  and  Amine,  for  her  own  reasons,  did 
everything  she  could  to  make  friends  with  him,  and  was 
successful. 


Chapter  XXXV 

Amine  had  just  returned  from  an  afternoon's  walk  through 
the  streets  of  Goa :  she  had  made  some  purchases  at 
different  shops  in  the  bazaar,  and  had  brought  them  home 
under  her  mantilla.  "  Here,  at  last,  thank  Heaven,  I  am 
alone  and  not  watched,"  thought  Amine,  as  she  threw 
herself  on  the  couch.     "Philip,  Philip,  where  are  you  ?" 


332  The  Phantom  Ship 

exclaimed  she ;  **  I  have  now  the  means,  and  I  soon  will 
know."  Little  Pedro,  the  son  of  the  widow,  entered  the 
room,  ran  up  to  Amine,  and  kissed  her.  "  Tell  me, 
Pedro,  where  is  your  mother  ?  " 

**  She  has  gone  out  to  see  her  friends  this  evening,  and 
we  are  alone.     I  will  stay  with  you." 

"  Do  so,  dearest.  Tell  me,  Pedro,  can  you  keep  a 
secret  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  will— tell  it  me." 

*«  Nay,  I  have  nothing  to  tell,  but  I  wish  to  do  some- 
thing :  I  wish  to  make  a  play,  and  you  shall  see  things  in 
your  hand." 

**  Oh !  yes,  shew  me,  do  shew  me." 

**  If  you  promise  not  to  tell." 

"  No,  by  the  Holy  Virgin,  I  will  not." 

"  Then  you  shall  see." 

Amine  lighted  some  charcoal  in  a  chafing  dish,  and  put 
it  at  her  feet ;  she  then  took  a  reed  pen,  some  ink  from  a 
small  bottle,  and  a  pair  of  scissors,  and  wrote  down  several 
characters  on  a  paper,  singing,  or  rather  chanting,  words 
which  were  not  intelligible  to  her  young  companion. 
Amine  then  threw  frankincense  and  coriander  seed  into 
the  chafing  dish,  which  threw  out  a  strong  aromatic 
smoke ;  and  desiring  Pedro  to  sit  down  by  her  on  a  small 
stool,  she  took  the  boy's  right  hand  and  held  it  in  her 
own.  She  then  drew  upon  the  palm  of  his  hand  a  square 
figure  with  characters  on  each  side  of  it,  and  in  the  centre 
poured  a  small  quantity  of  the  ink,  so  as  to  form  a  black 
mirror  of  the  size  of  a  half-a-crown. 

"  Now  all  is  ready,"  said  Amine ;  **  look,  Pedro,  what 
see  you  in  the  ink  ? " 

**  My  own  face,"  replied  the  boy. 

She  threw  more  frankincense  upon  the  chafing  dish, 
until  the  room  was  full  of  smoke,  and  then  chanted. 

"  Turshoon,  turyo-shoon — come  down,  come  down. 

**  Be  present,  ye  servants  of  these  names. 

"  Remove  the  veil,  and  be  correct." 

The  characters  she  had  drawn  upon  the  paper  she  had 


The  Phantom  Ship  333 

divided  with  the  scissors,  and  now  taking  one  of  the  pieces, 
she  dropped  it  into  the  chafing  dish,  still  holding  the  boy*s 
hand. 

"  Tell  me  now,  Pedro,  what  do  you  see  ?  " 

**  I  see  a  man  sweeping,"  replied  Pedro,  alarmed. 

«*  Fear  not,  Pedro,  you  shall  see  more.  Has  he  done 
sweeping  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  has.** 

And  Amine  muttered  words,  which  were  unintelligible, 
and  threw  into  the  chafing  dish  the  other  half  of  the  paper 
with  the  characters  she  had  written  down.  "  Say  now, 
Pedro,  Philip  Vanderdecken,  appear." 

"  Philip  Vanderdecken,  appear  !  "  responded  the  boy, 
trembling. 

"  Tell  me  what  thou  seest,  Pedro — tell  me  true  ?  '*  said 
Amine,  anxiously. 

"I  see  a  man  lying  down  on  the  white  sand ;  (I  don't 
like  this  play.)  " 

"Be  not  alarmed,  Pedro,  you  shall  have  sweetmeats 
directly.  Tell  me  what  thou  seest,  how  the  man  is 
dressed  ?  '* 

**  He  has  a  short  coat — he  has  white  trousers — he  looks 
about  him — he  takes  something  out  of  his  breast  and  kisses 
it." 

**  'Tis  he  !  'tis  he !  and  he  lives !  Heaven,  I  thank  thee. 
Look  again,  boy." 

"  He  gets  up  (I  don't  like  this  play ;  I  am  frightened  j 
indeed  I  am.)  " 

"  Fear  not." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  am — I  cannot,"  replied  Pedro,  falling  on  his 
knees  ;  "  pray  let  me  go." 

Pedro  had  turned  his  hand,  and  spilt  the  ink,  the  charm 
was  broken,  and  Amine  could  learn  no  more.  She  soothed 
the  boy  with  presents,  made  him  repeat  his  promise  that 
he  would  not  tell,  and  postponed  further  search  into  fate 
until  the  boy  should  appear  to  have  recovered  from  his 
terror,  and  be  willing  to  resume  the  ceremonies. 

"  My  Philip  lives — mother,  dear  mother,  I  thank  you." 


334  The  Phantom  Ship 

Amine  did  not  allow  Pedro  to  leave  the  room  until  he 
appeared  to  have  quite  recovered  from  his  fright ;  for  some 
days  she  did  not  say  anything  to  him,  except  to  remind 
him  of  his  promise  not  to  tell  his  mother,  or  any  one  else, 
and  she  loaded  him  with  presents. 

One  afternoon  when  his  mother  was  gone  out,  Pedro 
came  in,  and  asked  Amine  "  whether  they  should  not  have 
the  play  over  again  ? " 

Amine,  who  was  anxious  to  know  more,  was  glad  of 
the  boy's  request,  and  soon  had  everything  prepared. 
Again  was  her  chamber  filled  with  the  smoke  of  the 
frankincense :  again  was  she  muttering  her  incantations : 
the  magic  mirror  was  on  the  boy's  hand,  and  once  more 
had  Pedro  cried  out,  *' Philip  Vanderdecken,  appear!" 
when  the  door  burst  open,  and  Father  Mathias,  the 
widow,  and  several  other  people  made  their  appearance. 
Amine  started  up — Pedro  screamed  and  ran  to  his  mother. 

"  Then  I  was  not  mistaken  at  what  I  saw  in  the  cottage 
at  Terneuse,"  cried  Father  Mathias,  with  his  arms  folded 
over  his  breast,  and  with  looks  of  indignation  j  **  accursed 
sorceress  !  you  are  detected." 

Amine  returned  his  gaze  with  scorn,  and  coolly  replied, 
"  I  am  not  of  your  creed — you  know  it.  Eaves-dropping 
appears  to  be  a  portion  of  your  religion.  This  is  my 
chamber — it  is  not  the  first  time  I  have  had  to  request  you 
to  leave  it — I  do  so  now — you — and  those  who  have  come 
in  with  you." 

"  Take  up  all  those  implements  of  sorcery  first,"  said 
Father  Mathias  to  his  companions.  The  chafing  dish,  and 
other  articles  used  by  Amine,  were  taken  away ,  and 
Father  Mathias  and  the  others  quitting  the  room.  Amine 
was  left  alone. 

Amine  had  a  foreboding  that  she  was  lost  5  she  knew 
that  magic  was  a  crime  of  the  highest  degree  in  Catholic 
countries,  and  that  she  had  been  detected  in  the  very  act. 
**  Well,  well  J "  thought  Amine  ;  "it  is  my  destiny,  and  I 
can  brave  the  worst." 

To  account  for  the  appearance  of  Father  Mathias  and 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^^^ 

the  witnesses,  it  must  be  observed,  that  the  little  boy 
Pedro  had,  the  day  after  Amine*s  first  attempt,  forgotten 
his  promise,  and  narrated  to  his  mother  all  that  had  passed. 
The  widow,  frightened  at  what  the  boy  had  told  her, 
thought  it  right  to  go  to  Father  Mathias,  and  confide  to 
him  what  her  son  had  told  her,  as  it  was,  in  her  opinion, 
sorcery.  Father  Mathias  questioned  Pedro  closely,  and, 
convinced  that  such  was  the  case,  determined  to  have 
witnesses  to  confront  Amine.  He  therefore  proposed  that 
the  boy  should  appear  to  be  willing  to  try  again,  and  had 
instructed  him  for  the  purpose,  having  previously  arranged 
that  they  should  break  in  upon  Amine,  as  we  have 
described. 

About  half-an-hour  afterwards,  two  men  dressed  in 
black  gowns  came  into  Amine's  room,  and  requested  that 
she  would  follow  them,  or  that  force  would  be  used. 
Amine  made  no  resistance  ;  they  crossed  the  square  ;  the 
gate  of  a  large  building  was  opened  ;  they  desired  her  to 
walk  in,  and,  in  a  few  seconds.  Amine  found  herself  in  one 
of  the  dungeons  of  the  Inquisition. 


Chapter  XXXVI 

Previous  to  continuing  our  narrative,  it  may  be  as  well  to 
give  our  readers  some  little  insight  into  the  nature,  cere- 
monies, and  regulations  of  the  Inquisition  ;  and  in  describ- 
ing that  of  Goa,  we  may  be  said  to  describe  all  others, 
with  very  trifling,  if  any,  variation. 

The  Santa  Casa,  or  Inquisition  of  Goa,  is  situated  on 
one  side  of  a  large  square,  called  the  Terra  di  Sabaio.  It 
is  a  massive  handsome  pile  of  stone  buildings,  with  three 
doors  in  the  front ;  the  centre  one  is  larger  than  the  two 
lateral,  and  it  is  through  the  centre  door  that  you  go  into 
the  Hall  of  Judgment.  The  side-doors  lead  to  spacious 
and  handsome  apartments  for  the  Inquisitors,  and  officers 
attached  to  the  estabfishment. 


33^  The  Phantom  Ship 

Behind  these  apartments  are  the  cells  and  dungeons  of 
the  Inquisition  ;  they  are  in  two  long  galleries,  with 
double  doors  to  each,  and  are  about  ten  feet  square. 
There  are  about  two  hundred  of  them  ;  some  are  much 
more  comfortable  than  the  others,  as  light  and  air  are 
admitted  into  them :  others  are  wholly  dark.  In  the 
galleries  the  keepers  watch,  and  not  a  word  or  a  sound 
can  proceed  from  any  cell  without  their  being  able  to 
overhear  it.  The  treatment  of  those  confined  is,  as  far  as 
respects  their  food,  very  good  :  great  care  is  taken  that 
the  nourishment  is  of  that  nature  that  the  prisoners  may 
not  suffer  from  the  indigestion  arising  from  want  of  exer- 
cise. Surgical  attendance  is  also  permitted  them  ;  but, 
unless  on  very  particular  occasions,  no  priests  are  allowed 
to  enter.  Any  consolation  to  be  derived  from  religion, 
even  the  office  of  confessor  and  extreme  unction,  in  case  of 
dissolution,  are  denied  them.  Should  they  die  during 
their  confinement,  whether  proved  guilty  or  not  of  the 
crime  of  which  they  are  accused,  they  are  buried  without 
any  funeral  ceremony,  and  tried  afterwards  ;  if  then  found 
guilty,  their  bones  are  disinterred,  and  the  execution  of 
their  sentence  is  passed  upon  their  remains. 

There  are  two  Inquisitors  at  Goa :  one  the  Grand 
Inquisitor,  and  the  other  his  second,  who  are  invariably 
chosen  from  the  order  of  St-Dominique  ;  these  two  are 
assisted  in  their  judgment  and  examinations  by  a  large 
number  selected  from  the  religious  orders,  who  are  termed 
deputies  of  the  Holy  Office,  but  who  only  attend  when 
summoned :  they  have  other  officers,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
examine  all  published  books,  and  ascertain  if  there  is  any- 
thing in  their  pages  contrary  to  the  holy  religion.  There 
is  also  a  public  accuser,  a  procureur  of  the  Inquisition, 
and  lawyers,  who  are  permitted  to  plead  the  case  of  the 
prisoners,  but  whose  chief  business  and  interest  it  is  to 
obtain  their  secrets  and  betray  them.  What  are  termed 
Familiars  of  the  Inquisition,  are,  in  fact,  nothing  but  this 
description  of  people  :  but  this  disgraceful  office  is  taken 
upon  themselves  by  the  highest  nobility,  who  think  it  an 


The  Phantom  Ship  2>2>7 

Honour  as  well  as  a  security,  to  be  enrolled  among  the 
Familiars  of  the  Inquisition,  who  are  thus  to  be  found 
dispersed  throughout  society  ;  and  every  careless  word,  or 
expression,  is  certain  to  be  repeated  to  the  Holy  Office. 
A  summons  to  attend  at  the  Inquisition  is  never  opposed  ; 
if  it  were,  the  whole  populace  would  rise  and  enforce  it. 
Those  who  are  confined  in  the  dungeons  of  the  Inquisition 
are  kept  separate  ;  it  is  a  very  uncommon  thing  to  put  two 
together :  it  is  only  done  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
prolonged  solitude  of  the  dungeon  has  created  such  a 
depression  of  spirits  as  to  endanger  the  life  of  the  party. 
Perpetual  silence  is  enjoined  and  strictly  kept.  Those  who 
wail  or  weep,  or  even  pray,  in  their  utter  darkness,  are 
forced  by  blows  to  be  quiet.  The  cries  and  shrieks  of 
those  who  suffer  from  this  chastisement,  or  from  the  tor- 
ture, are  carried  along  the  whole  length  of  the  corridors, 
terrifying  those  who,  in  solitude  and  darkness,  are  antici- 
pating the  same  fate. 

The  first  question  put  to  a  person  arrested  by  the  In- 
quisition, is  a  demand,  "What  is  his  property?"  He  is 
desired  to  make  an  exact  declaration  of  everything  that  he 
is  worth,  and  swear  to  the  truth  of  his  assertions  ;  being 
informed  that,  if  there  is  any  reservation  on  his  part 
(although  he  may  be  at  that  time  innocent  of  the  charges 
produced  against  him), — ^he  will,  by  his  concealment,  have 
incurred  the  wrath  of  the  Inquisition  ;  and  that,  if  dis- 
charged for  the  crime  he  is  accused  of,  he  will  again  be 
arrested  for  having  taken  a  false  oath  to  the  Inquisition ; 
that,  if  innocent,  his  property  will  be  safe,  and  not  inter- 
fered with.  It  is  not  without  reason  that  this  demand  is 
made.  If  a  person  accused  confesses  his  crime,  he  is, 
in  most  cases,  eventually  allowed  to  go  free,  but  all  his 
property  becomes  confiscated. 

By  the  rules  of  the  Inquisition,  it  is  made  to  appear  as  if 
those  condemned  have  the  show  of  justice  ;  for,  although 
two  witnesses  are  sufficient  to  warrant  the  apprehension 
of  any  individual,  seven  are  necessary  to  convict  him ; 
but  as  the  witnesses  are  never  confronted  with  the 
p.s.  T 


338  The  Phantom  Ship 

prisoners,  and  torture  is  often  applied  to  the  witnesses, 
it  is  not  difficult  to  obtain  the  number  required.  Many 
a  life  is  falsely  sworn  away  by  the  witness,  that  he  may 
save  his  own.  The  chief  crimes  which  are  noticed  by 
the  Inquisition  are  those  of  sorcery,  heresy,  blasphemy, 
and  what  is  called  Judaism, 

To  comprehend  the  meaning  of  this  last  crime,  for 
which  more  people  have  suffered  from  the  Inquisition 
than  for  any  other,  the  reader  must  be  informed,  that 
when  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  of  Castile  drove  all  the  Jews 
out  of  Spain,  they  fled  to  Portugal,  where  they  were 
received  on  the  sole  condition  that  they  should  embrace 
Christianity  :  this  they  consented,  or  appeared  to  consent, 
to  do  ;  but  these  converts  were  despised  by  the  Portuguese 
people,  who  did  not  believe  them  to  be  sincere.  They 
obtained  the  title  of  New  Christians,  in  contradistinction  to 
that  of  Old  Christians.  After  a  time  the  two  were 
occasionally  intermingled  in  marriage  5  but  when  so,  it  was 
always  a  reproach  to  the  old  families  ;  and  descendants 
from  these  alliances  were  long  termed,  by  way  of  reproach, 
as  having  a  portion  of  the  New  Christians  in  them. 

The  descendants  of  the  old  families  thus  intermingled, 
not  only  lost  caste,  but,  as  the  genealogy  of  every  family 
was  well  known,  they  were  looked  upon  with  suspicion, 
and  were  always  at  the  mercy  of  the  Holy  Office,  when 
denounced  for  Judaism, — that  is,  for  returning  to  the  old 
Jewish  practices  of  keeping  the  Passover,  and  the  other 
ceremonies  enforced  by  Moses. 

Let  us  see  how  an  accusation  of  this  kind  works  in  the 
hands  of  the  Inquisition.  A  really  sincere  Catholic, 
descended  from  one  of  these  unhappy  families,  is  accused 
and  arrested  by  the  orders  of  the  Inquisition ;  he  is 
ordered  to  declare  his  property,  which, — convinced  of  his 
innocence,  and  expecting  soon  to  be  released,  he  does 
without  reservation.  But  hardly  has  the  key  of  the 
dungeon  turned  upon  him,  when  all  his  effects  are  seized 
and  sold  by  public  auction ;  it  being  well  understood  that 
they  never  will  be  restored  to  him.     After  some  months' 


The  Phantom  Ship  339 

confinement,  he  is  called  into  the  Hall  of  Justice,  and 
asked  if  he  knows  why  he  is  in  prison  ;  they  advise  him 
earnestly  to  confess  and  to  conceal  nothing,  as  it  is  the 
only  way  by  which  he  can  obtain  his  liberty.  He  declares 
his  ignorance,  and  being  sent  for  several  times,  persists  in 
it.  The  period  of  the  Auto  da  Fe^  or  Act  of  Faith,  which 
takes  place  every  two  or  three  years  (that  is,  the 
public  execution  of  those  who  have  been  found  guilty  by 
the  Inquisition),  approaches.  The  public  accuser  then 
comes  forward,  stating  that  the  prisoner  has  been  accused 
by  a  number  of  witnesses  of  Judaism.  They  persuade  him 
to  acknowledge  his  guilt ;  he  persists  in  his  innocence ; 
they  then  pass  a  sentence  on  him,  which  they  term  Convicto 
Invotivo,  which  means  "  found  guilty,  but  will  not  confess 
his  crime  5 "  and  he  is  sentenced  to  be  burnt  at  the 
approaching  celebration.  After  this  they  follow  him  to  his 
cell,  and  exhort  him  to  confess  his  guilt,  and  promise  that 
if  he  does  confess  he  shall  be  pardoned ;  and  these  appeals 
are  continued  until  the  evening  of  the  day  before  his 
execution.  Terrified  at  the  idea  of  a  painful  death,  the 
wretch,  at  last,  to  save  his  life,  consents.  He  is  called  into 
the  Hall  of  Judgment,  confesses  the  crime  that  he  has  not 
committed,  and  imagines  that  he  is  now  saved. — Alas  !  no  ; 
he  has  entangled  himself,  and  cannot  escape. 

"You  acknowledge  that  you  have  been  guilty  of 
observing  the  laws  of  Moses.  These  ceremonies  cannot  be 
performed  alone ;  you  cannot  have  eaten  the  Paschal  lamb 
alone ;  tell  us  immediately,  who  were  those  who  assisted  at 
those  ceremonies,  or  your  life  is  still  forfeited,  and  the 
stake  is  prepared  for  you." 

Thus  has  he  accused  himself  without  gaining  anything, 
and  if  he  wishes  to  save  his  life  he  must  accuse  others ;  and 
who  can  be  accused  but  his  own  friends  and  acquaintances  ? 
nay,  in  all  probability,  his  own  relations — his  brothers, 
sisters,  wife,  sons  or  daughters — for  it  is  natural  to  suppose 
that  in  all  such  practices  a  man  will  trust  only  his  own 
family.  Whether  a  man  confesses  his  guilt,  or  dies 
asserting    his     innocence,    his    worldly    property    is     in 


340  The  Phantom  Ship 

either  case  confiscated  ;  but  it  is  of  great  consequence  to 
the  Inquisition  that  he  should  confess,  as  his  act  of  con- 
fession, with  his  signature  annexed,  is  publicly  read, 
and  serves  to  prove  to  the  world  that  the  Inquisition  is 
impartial  and  just ;  nay,  more,  even  merciful,  as  it  pardons 
those  who  have  been  proved  to  be  guilty. 

At  Goa  the  accusations  of  sorcery  and  magic  were  much 
more  frequent  than  at  the  Inquisitions  at  other  places, 
arising  from  the  customs  and  ceremonies  of  the  Hindoos 
being  very  much  mixed  up  with  absurd  superstitions. 
These  people,  and  the  slaves  from  other  parts,  very  often 
embraced  Christianity  to  please  their  masters ;  but  since, 
if  they  had  been  baptised  and  were  afterwards  convicted 
of  any  crime,  they  were  sentenced  to  the  punishment  by 
fire;  whereas,  if  they  had  not  been  baptised,  they  were 
only  punished  by  whipping,  imprisonment,  or  the  galleys  ; 
upon  this  ground  alone  many  refused  to  embrace  Chris- 
tianity. 

We  have  now  detailed  all  that  we  consider,  up  to  the 
present,  necessary  for  the  information  of  the  reader ; 
all  that  is  omitted  he  will  gather  as  we  proceed  with  our 
history. 


Chapter  XXXVII 

A  FEW  hours  after  Amine  had  been  in  the  dungeon,  the 
jailors  entered:  without  speaking  to  her  they  let  down 
her  soft  silky  hair,  and  cut  it  close  off.  Amine,  with  her 
lip  curled  in  contempt,  and  without  resistance  and  ex- 
postulation, allowed  them  to  do  their  work.  They  finished, 
and  she  was  again  left  to  her  solitude. 

The  next  day  the  jailors  entered  her  cell,  and  ordered 
her  to  bare  her  feet,  and  follow  them.  She  looked  at 
them,  and  they  at  her.  "If  you  do  not,  we  must," 
observed  one  of  the  men,  who  was  moved  by  her  youth 
and  beauty.     Amine  did  as  she  was  desired  and  was  led 


The  Phantom  Ship  341 

into  the  Hall  of  Justice,  where  she  found  only  the  Grand 
Inquisitor  and  the  Secretary. 

The  Hall  of  Justice  was  a  long  room  with  lofty  windows 
on  each  side,  and  also  at  the  end  opposite  to  the  door 
through  which  she  had  been  led  in.  In  the  centre,  on  a 
raised  dais,  was  a  long  table  covered  with  a  cloth  of 
alternate  blue  and  fawn-coloured  stripes  5  and  at  the  end 
opposite  to  where  Amine  was  brought  in  was  raised  an 
enormous  crucifix,  with  a  carved  image  of  our  Saviour. 
The  jailor  pointed  to  a  small  bench,  and  intimated  to 
Amine  that  she  was  to  sit  down. 

After  a  scrutiny  of  some  moments,  the  Secretary 
spoke : — 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

**  Amine  Vanderdecken." 

"  Of  what  country  ?  " 

"  My  husband  is  of  the  Low  Countries  5  I  am  from  the 
East." 

"  "What  is  your  husband  ?  " 

"  The  captain  of  a  Dutch  Indiaman." 

**  How  came  you  here  ?  " 

"  His  vessel  was  wrecked,  and  we  were  separated.'* 

**  Whom  do  you  know  here  ?  " 

**  Father  Mathias." 

"  What  property  have  you  ?  " 

**  None  ;  it  is  my  husband's." 

«  Where  is  it  ?  " 

"  In  the  custody  of  Father  Mathias." 

**  Are  you  aware  why  you  are  brought  here  ?  " 

"  How  should  I  be  ?  "  replied  Amine,  evasively ;  "  tell 
me  what  I  am  accused  of." 

"  You  must  know  whether  you  have  done  wrong  or 
not.  You  had  better  confess  all  your  conscience  accuses 
you  of." 

"  My  conscience  does  not  accuse  me  of  doing  wrong." 

**  Then  you  will  confess  nothing  ?  " 

"  By  your  own  showing,  I  have  nothing  to  confess." 

"You  say  you  are  from  the  East :  are  you  a  Christian  ?  " 


342  The  Phantom  Ship 

**  I  reject  your  creed." 

"  You  are  married  to  a  Catholic  ?  " 

"  Yes  !  a  true  Catholic." 

**  Who  married  you  ? " 

"  Father  Seysen,  a  Catholic  priest." 

**  Did  you  enter  into  the  bosom  of  the  church  ? — did  he 
venture  to  marry  you  without  your  being  baptised  ? " 

"  Some  ceremony  did  take  place  which  I  consented  to." 

**  It  was  baptism,  was  it  not  ?  " 

**  I  believe  it  was  so  termed." 

"  And  now  you  say  that  you  reject  the  creed  ?  " 

"Since  I  have  witnessed  the  conduct  of  those  who 
profess  it,  I  do :  at  the  time  of  my  marriage  I  was  disposed 
towards  it." 

"What  is  the  amount  of  your  property  in  the  Father 
Mathias's  hands  ?  " 

**  Some  hundreds  of  dollars — he  knows  exactly." 

The  Grand  Inquisitor  rang  a  bell ;  the  jailors  entered, 
and  Amine  was  led  back  to  her  dungeon. 

"Why  should  they  ask  so  often  about  my  money?" 
mused  Amine;  "If  they  require  it,  they  may  take  it. 
What  is  their  power  ?  What  would  they  do  with  me  ? 
Well,  well,  a  few  days  will  decide."  A  few  days ! — no, 
no.  Amine ;  years  perhaps  would  have  passed  without 
decision,  but  that  in  four  months  from  the  date  of  your 
incarceration,  the  ^ufo  da  Fe,  which  had  not  been  cele- 
brated for  upwards  of  three  years,  was  to  take  place,  and 
there  was  not  a  sufficient  number  of  those  who  were  to 
undergo  the  last  punishment  to  render  the  ceremony  im- 
posing. A  few  more  were  required  for  the  stake,  or  you 
would  not  have  escaped  from  those  dungeons  so  soon.  As 
it  was,  a  month  of  anxiety  and  suspense,  almost  insupport- 
able, had  to  be  passed  away,  before  Amine  was  again 
summoned  to  the  Hall  of  Justice. 

Amine,  at  the  time  we  have  specified,  was  again  intro- 
duced to  the  Hall  of  Justice,  and  was  again  asked  if  she 
would  confess.  Irritated  at  her  long  confinement,  and  the 
injustice  of  the  proceedings,  she  replied,  "  I  have  told  you 


The  Phantom  Ship  343 

once  for  all,  that  I  have  nothing  to  confess ;  do  with  me 
as  you  will ;  but  be  quick." 

"  Will  torture  oblige  you  to  confess  ?  " 

**  Try  me,"  replied  Amine,  firmly — "  try  me,  cruel  men ; 
and  if  you  gain  but  one  word  from  me,  then  call  me 
craven :  I  am  but  a  woman — but  I  dare  you — I  defy  you." 

It  was  seldom  that  such  expressions  fell  upon  the  ears 
oE  her  judges,  and  still  more  seldom  that  a  countenance 
was  lighted  up  with  such  determination.  But  the  torture 
was  never  applied  until  after  the  accusation  had  been  made 
and  answered. 

"  We  shall  see,"  said  the  Grand  Inquisitor :  "  take  her 
away." 

Amine  was  led  back  to  her  cell.  In  the  meantime, 
Father  Mathias  had  had  several  conferences  with  the 
Inquisitor.  Although,  in  his  wrath  he  had  accused  Amine, 
and  had  procured  the  necessary  witnesses  against  her,  he 
now  felt  uneasy  and  perplexed.  His  long  residence  with 
her — her  invariable  kindness  till  the  time  of  his  dismissal 
— his  knowledge  that  she  had  never  embraced  the  faith — 
her  boldness  and  courage,  nay,  her  beauty  and  youth — all 
worked  strongly  in  her  favour.  His  only  object  now  was, 
to  persuade  her  to  confess  that  she  was  wrong,  induce  her 
to  embrace  the  faith,  and  save  her.  With  this  view  he  had 
obtained  permission  from  the  Holy  Office  to  enter  her 
dungeon,  and  reason  with  her — a  special  favour  which  for 
many  reasons  they  could  not  well  refuse  him.  It  was  on 
the  third  day  after  her  second  examination,  that  the  bolts 
were  removed  at  an  unusual  hour,  and  Father  Mathias 
entered  the  cell,  which  was  again  barred,  and  he  was  left 
alone  with  Amine.  "  My  child  !  my  child  !  "  exclaimed 
Father  Mathias,  with  sorrow  in  his  countenance. 

"  Nay,  Father,  this  is  mockery.  It  is  you  who  brought 
me  here — leave  me." 

**I  brought  you  here,  'tis  true;  but  I  would  now 
remove  you,  if  you  will  permit  me,  Amine." 

"  Most  willingly  ;  Fll  follow  you." 

*'  Nay,  nay !  there  is  much  to  talk  over,  much  to  be 


244  '^^  Phantom  Ship 

done.  This  is  not  a  dungeon  from  which  people  can 
escape  so  easily." 

"  Then  tell  me  what  have  you  to  say ;  and  what  is  it 
must  be  done  ?  " 

"I  will." 

"  But,  stop ;  before  you  say  one  word  answer  me  one 
question  as  you  hope  for  bliss:  have  you  heard  aught 
of  Philip?" 

"  Yes,  I  have.     He  is  well." 

**  And  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  will  soon  be  here." 

"  God,  I  thank  you !  Shall  I  see  him.  Father  ?  " 

**  That  must  depend  upon  yourself." 

"  Upon  myself.  Then  tell  me,  quickly,  what  would 
they  have  me  do  ?  " 

**  Confess  your  sins — your  crimes." 

"  What  sins  ? — what  crimes  ?  " 

"Have  you  not  dealt  with  evil  beings,  invoked  the 
spirits,  and  gained  the  assistance  of  those  who  are  not 
of  this  world  ?  " 

Amine  made  no  reply. 

**  Answer  me.     Do  you  not  confess  ?" 

"  I  do  not  confess  to  have  done  anything  wrong." 

**This  is  useless.  You  were  seen  by  me  and  others. 
What  will  avail  your  denial?  Are  you  aware  of  the 
punishment,  which  most  surely  awaits  you,  if  you  do  not 
confess,  and  become  a  member  of  our  church  ? " 

**  Why  am  I  to  become  a  member  of  your  church  ?  Do 
you,  then,  punish  those  who  refuse  ?  " 

"  No  :  had  you  not  already  consented  to  receive  baptism, 
you  would  not  have  been  asked  to  become  so  -,  but  having 
been  baptised,  you  must  now  become  a  member,  or  be 
supposed  to  fall  back  into  heresy." 

"  I  knew  not  the  nature  of  your  baptism  at  that  time." 

**  Granted  :  but  you  consented  to  it." 

**  Be  it  so.  But,  pray,  what  may  be  the  punishment, 
if  I  refuse?" 

'*  You  will  be  burnt  alive  at  the  stake  j   nothing  can 


The  Phantom  Ship  345 

save  you.  Hear  me,  Amine  Vanderdecken  :  when  next 
summoned,  you  must  confess  all;  and,  asking  pardon, 
request  to  be  received  into  the  church ;  then  will  you  be 
saved,  and  you  will *' 

"What?" 

"  Again  be  clasped  in  Philip's  arms." 

"  My  Philip !  my  Philip !  you,  indeed,  press  me  hard  5 
but.  Father,  if  I  confess  I  am  wrong,  when  I  feel  that 
I  am  not ** 

**  Feel  that  you  are  not !  " 

**  Yes.  I  invoked  my  mother's  assistance  5  she  gave  it 
me  in  a  dream.  Would  a  mother  have  assisted  her 
daughter,  if  it  were  wrong  ? " 

"It  was  not  your  mother,  but  a  fiend  who  took  the 
likeness." 

**  It  was  my  mother.  Again  you  ask  me  to  say  that  I 
believe  that  which  I  cannot." 

"  That  which  you  cannot !  Amine  Vanderdecken,  be  not 
obstinate." 

"I  am  not  obstinate,  good  Father.  Have  you  not 
offered  me,  what  is  to  me  beyond  all  price,  that  I  should 
again  be  in  the  arms  of  my  husband  ?  Can  I  degrade 
myself  to  a  lie  ?  not  for  life,  or  liberty  or  even  for  my 
Philip." 

"Amine  Vanderdecken,  if  you  will  confess  your  crime, 
before  you  are  accused,  you  will  have  done  much ;  after 
your  accusation  has  been  made,  it  will  be  of  little  avail." 

"It  will  not  be  done  either  before  or  after.  Father. 
What  I  have  done  I  have  done,  but  a  crime  it  is  not  to  me 
and  mine ;  with  you  it  may  be,  but  I  am  not  of  yours." 

"  Recollect  also  that  you  peril  your  husband,  for  having 
wedded  with  a  sorceress.  Forget  not :  to-morrow  I  will 
see  you  again." 

"  My  mind  is  troubled,"  replied  Amine.  "  Leave  me. 
Father,  it  will  be  a  kindness." 

Father  Mathias  quitted  the  cell,  pleased  with  the  last 
words  of  Amine.  The  idea  of  her  husband's  danger 
seemed  to  have  startled  her. 


346  The  Phantom  Ship 

Amine  threw  herself  down  on  the  mattress,  in  the  corner 
of  the  cell,  and  hid  her  face. 

"  Burnt  alive  !  "  exclaimed  she  after  a  time,  sitting  up, 
and  passing  her  hands  over  her  forehead.  **  Burnt  alive  ! 
and  these  are  Christians.  This,  then,  was  the  cruel  death 
foretold  by  that  creature,  Schriften — foretold — yes,  and 
therefore  must  be :  it  is  my  destiny :  I  cannot  save  myself. 
If  I  confess,  then,  I  confess  that  Philip  is  wedded  to  a 
sorceress,  and  he  will  be  punished  too.  No,  never — 
never :  I  can  suffer,  *tis  cruel — 'tis  horrible  to  think  of — 
but  'twill  soon  be  over.  God  of  my  fathers,  give  me 
strength  against  these  wicked  men,  and  enable  me  to  bear 
all,  for  my  dear  Philip's  sake." 

The  next  evening  Father  Mathias  again  made  his 
appearance.  He  found  Amine  calm  and  collected:  she 
refused  to  listen  to  his  advice,  or  follow  his  injunctions. 
His  last  observation,  that  "  her  husband  would  be  in  peril, 
if  she  was  found  guilty  of  sorcery,"  had  steeled  her  heart, 
and  she  had  determined  that  neither  torture  nor  the  stake 
should  make  her  confess  the  act.  The  priest  left  the  cell, 
sick  at  heart ;  he  now  felt  miserable  at  the  idea  of  Amine's 
perishing  by  so  dreadful  a  death ;  accused  himself  of  pre- 
cipitation, and  wished  that  he  had  never  seen  Amine,  whose 
constancy  and  courage,  although  in  error,  excited  his 
admiration  and  his  pity.  And  then  he  thought  of  Philip, 
who  had  treated  him  so  kindly — how  could  he  meet  him  ? 
And  if  he  asked  for  his  wife — what  answer  could  he 
give  ? 

Another  fortnight  passed,  when  Amine  was  again 
summoned  to  the  Hall  of  Judgment,  and  again  asked  if 
she  confessed  her  crimes.  Upon  her  refusal,  the  accusa- 
tions against  her  were  read.  She  was  accused  by  Father 
Mathias  with  practising  forbidden  arts,  and  the  depositions 
of  the  boy  Pedro,  and  the  other  witnesses,  were  read.  In 
his  zeal.  Father  Mathias  also  stated  that  he  had  found  her 
guilty  of  the  same  practices  at  Terneuse ;  and  moreover, 
that  in  the  violent  storm  when  all  expected  to  perish,  she 
had  remained  calm. and  courageous,  and  told  the  captain 


The  Phantom  Ship  347 

that  they  would  be  saved ;  which  could  only  have  been 
known  by  an  undue  spirit  of  prophecy,  given  by  evil 
spirits.  Amine's  lip  curled  in  derision  when  she  heard  the 
last  accusation.  She  was  asked  if  she  had  any  defence  to 
make. 

"  What  defence  can  be  offered,"  replied  she,  "  to  such 
accusations  as  these  ?  Witness  the  last — because  I  was 
not  so  craven  as  the  Christians,  I  am  accused  of  sorcery. 
The  old  dotard  !  but  I  will  expose  him.  Tell  me,  if  one 
knows  that  sorcery  is  used,  and  conceals  or  allows  it,  is  he 
not  a  participator  and  equally  guilty  ?  " 

"He  is,"  replied  the  Inquisitor,  anxiously  awaiting  the 
result. 

*'  Then  I  denounce  '*— — And  Amine  was  about  to  reveal 
that  Philip's  mission  was  known,  and  not  forbidden  by 
Fathers  Mathias  and  Seysen ;  when  recollecting  that  Philip 
would  be  implicated,  she  stopped. 

**  Denounce  whom  ? "  inquired  the  Inquisitor. 

"  No  one,"  replied  Amine,  folding  her  arms  and  droop- 
ing her  head. 

**  Speak,  woman." 

Amine  made  no  answer. 

"  The  torture  will  make  you  speak." 

"Never!"  replied  Amine.  "Never!  Torture  me  to 
death,  if  you  choose  ;  I  prefer  it  to  a  public  execution." 

The  Inquisitor  and  the  Secretary  consulted  a  short  time. 
Convinced  that  Amine  would  adhere  to  her  resolution, 
and  requiring  her  for  public  execution,  they  abandoned  the 
idea  of  the  torture. 

"  Do  you  confess  ?  "  inquired  the  Inquisitor. 

"  No,"  replied  Amine,  firmly. 

"  Then  take  her  away." 

The  night  before  the  Auto  da  Fe,  Father  Mathias  again 
entered  the  cell  of  Amine,  but  all  his  endeavours  to  convert 
her  were  useless. 

"  To-morrow  will  end  it  all.  Father,"  replied  Amine ; 
"  leave  me — I  would  be  alone." 


348  The  Phantom  Ship 


Chapter   XXXVIII 

We  must  now  return  to  Philip  and  Krantz.  When  the 
latter  retired  from  the  presence  of  the  Portuguese  Com- 
mandant, he  communicated  to  Philip  what  had  taken  place, 
and  the  fabulous  tale  which  he  had  invented  to  deceive  the 
Commandant.  "  I  said  that  you  alone  knew  where  the 
treasure  was  concealed,"  continued  Krantz,  "  that  you 
might  be  sent  for,  for  in  all  probability  he  will  keep  me 
as  a  hostage  :  but  never  mind  that,  I  must  take  my  chance. 
Do  you  contrive  to  escape  somehow  or  another,  and  rejoin 
Amine." 

'*  Not  so,"  replied  Philip,  "  you  must  go  with  me,  my 
friend :  I  feel  that  should  I  part  with  you,  happiness  would 
no  longer  be  in  store  for  me." 

"  Nonsense — that  is  but  an  idle  feeling  ;  besides,  I  will 
evade  him  somehow  or  another." 

**  I  will  not  show  the  treasure,  unless  you  go  with 
me. 

"  Well — you  may  try  it  at  all  events." 

A  low  tap  at  the  door  was  heard.  Philip  rose  and 
opened  it  (for  they  had  retired  to  rest),  and  Pedro  came 
in.  Looking  carefully  round  him,  and  then  shutting  the 
door  softly,  he  put  his  finger  on  his  lips  to  enjoin  them 
to  silence.  He  then  in  a  whisper  told  them  what  he  had 
overheard.  **  Contrive,  if  possible,  that  I  go  with  you," 
continued  he  ;  "I  must  leave  you  now ;  he  still  paces  his 
room."  And  Pedro  slipped  out  of  the  door,  and  crawled 
stealthily  away  along  the  ramparts. 

"  The  treacherous  little  rascal  1  But  we  will  circumvent 
him,  if  possible,"  said  Krantz,  in  a  low  tone.  **  Yes, 
Philip,  you  are  right,  we  must  both  go,  for  you  will 
require  my  assistance.  I  must  persuade  him  to  go  himself. 
FU  think  of  it — so  Philip,  good-night." 

The  next  morning  Philip  and  Krantz  were  summoned  to 
breakfast ;  the  Commandant  received  them  with  smiles  and 


The  Phantom  Ship  349 

urbanity.  To  Philip  he  was  peculiarly  courteous.  As 
soon  as  the  repast  was  over,  he  thus  communicated  to  him 
his  intentions  and  wishes  : — 

"  Signor,  I  have  been  reflecting  upon  what  your  friend 
told  me,  and  the  appearance  of  the  spectre  yesterday, 
which  created  such  confusion ;  it  induced  me  to  behave 
with  a  rashness  for  which  I  must  now  offer  my  most 
sincere  apologies.  The  reflections  which  I  have  made, 
joined  with  the  feelings  of  devotion  which  must  be  in  the 
heart  of  every  true  Catholic,  have  determined  me,  with 
your  assistance,  to  obtain  this  treasure  dedicated  to  the 
holy  church.  It  is  my  proposal  that  you  should  take  a 
party  of  soldiers  under  your  orders,  proceed  to  the  island 
on  which  it  is  deposited,  and  having  obtained  it,  return 
here.  I  will  detain  any  vessel  which  may  in  the  meantime 
put  into  the  roadstead,  and  you  shall  then  be  the  bearers 
of  the  treasure  and  of  my  letters  to  Goa.  This  will  give 
you  an  honourable  introduction  to  the  authorities,  and 
enable  you  to  pass  away  your  time  there  in  the  most 
agreeable  manner.  You  will  also,  signor,  be  restored  to 
your  wife,  whose  charms  had  such  an  effect  upon  me  ;  and 
for  mention  of  whose  name  in  the  very  unceremonious 
manner  which  I  did,  I  must  excuse  myself  upon  the 
ground  of  total  ignorance  of  who  she  was,  or  of  her  being 
in  any  way  connected  with  your  honourable  person.  If 
these  measures  suit  you,  signor,  I  shall  be  most  happy  to 
give  orders  to  that  effect." 

"  As  a  good  Catholic  myself,"  replied  Philip,  "  I  shall 
be  most  happy  to  point  out  the  spot  where  the  treasure 
is  concealed,  and  restore  it  to  the  church.  Your  apologies 
relative  to  my  wife  I  accept  with  pleasure,  being  aware 
that  your  conduct  proceeded  from  ignorance  of  her  situa- 
tion and  rank;  but  I  do  not  exactly  see  my  way  clear. 
You  propose  a  party  of  soldiers.  Will  they  obey  me  ? — 
Are  they  to  be  trusted  ? — I  shall  have  only  myself  and 
friend  against  them,  and  will  they  be  obedient  ?  " 

**  No  fear  of  that,  signor,  they  are  well  disciplined  ; 
there  is  not  even  occasion  for  your  friend  to  go  with  you. 


350  The  Phantom  Ship 

I  wish  to  retain  him  with  me,  to  keep  me  company  during 
your  absence." 

"  Nay  !  that  I  must  object  to,"  replied  Philip  j  "  I  wiU 
not  trust  myself  alone." 

"  Perhaps  I  may  be  allowed  to  give  an  opinion  on  this 
subject,"  observed  Krantz  ;  "  I  see  no  reason,  if  my  friend 
goes  accompanied  with  a  party  of  soldiers  only,  why  I 
should  not  go  with  him  5  but  I  consider  it  would  be  un- 
advisable  that  he  proceed  in  the  way  the  Commandant 
proposes,  either  with  or  without  me.  You  must  recollect. 
Commandant,  that  it  is  no  trifling  sum  which  is  to  be 
carried  away ;  that  it  will  be  open  to  view,  and  wiU  meet 
the  eyes  of  your  men  5  that  these  men  have  been  detained 
many  years  in  this  country,  and  are  anxious  to  return 
home.  When,  therefore,  they  find  themselves  with  only 
two  strangers  with  them — away  from  your  authority,  and 
in  possession  of  a  large  sum  of  money — will  not  the 
temptation  be  too  strong  ?  They  will  only  have  to  run 
down  the  southern  channel,  gain  the  port  of  Bantam,  and 
they  will  be  safe  j  having  obtained  both  freedom  and 
wealth.  To  send,  therefore,  my  friend  and  me,  would  be 
to  send  us  to  almost  certain  death  5  but  if  you  were  to  go. 
Commandant,  then  the  danger  would  no  longer  exist. 
Your  presence  and  your  authority  would  control  them ; 
and,  whatever  their  wishes  or  thoughts  might  be,  they 
would  quail  before  the  flash  of  your  eye." 

**  Very  true — very  true,"  replied  Philip — **  all  this  did 
not  occur  to  me." 

Nor  had  it  occurred  to  the  Commandant,  but  when 
pointed  out,  the  force  of  these  suggestions  immediately 
struck  him,  and  long  before  Krantz  had  finished  speaking, 
he  had  resolved  to  go  himself. 

"  Well,  signers,"  replied  he  ;  **  I  am  always  ready  to 
accede  to  your  wishes  ;  and  since  you  consider  my  presence 
necessary,  and  as  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  chance  of 
another  attack  from  the  Ternate  people  just  now,  I  will 
take  upon  myself  the  responsibility  of  leaving  the  fort  for 
a  few  days  under  the  charge  of  my  lieutenant,  while  we  do 


The  Phantom  Ship  351 

this  service  to  Holy  Mother  Church.  I  have  already  sent 
for  one  of  the  native  vessels,  which  are  large  and  com- 
modious, and  will,  with  your  permission,  embark  to- 
morrow." 

"  Two  vessels  will  be  better,"  observed  Krantz  ;  **  in 
the  first  place,  in  case  of  an  accident  ;  and  next  because 
we  can  embark  all  the  treasure  in  one  with  ourselves,  and 
put  a  portion  of  the  soldiers  in  the  other  ;  so  that  we  may 
be  in  greater  force,  in  case  of  the  sight  of  so  much  wealth 
stimulating  them  to  insubordination." 

**  True,  signor,  we  will  have  two  vessels  ;  your  advice 
is  good." 

Everything  was  thus  satisfactorily  arranged,  with  the 
exception  of  their  wish  that  Pedro  should  accompany  them 
on  their  expedition.  They  were  debating  how  this  should 
be  brought  on  the  tapis,  when  the  soldier  came  to  them, 
and  stated  that  the  Commandant  had  ordered  him  to  be  of 
the  party,  and  that  he  was  to  offer  his  services  to  the  two 
strangers. 

On  the  ensuing  day  everything  was  prepared.  Ten 
soldiers  and  a  corporal  had  been  selected  by  the  Com- 
mandant ;  and  it  required  but  little  time  to  put  into  the 
vessels  the  provisions  and  other  articles  which  were  re- 
quired. At  daylight  they  embarked — the  Commandant  and 
Philip  in  one  boat ;  Krantz,  with  the  corporal  and  Pedro,  in 
the  other.  The  men,  who  had  been  kept  in  ignorance  of 
the  object  of  the  expedition,  were  now  made  acquainted 
with  it  by  Pedro,  and  a  long  whispering  took  place  between 
them,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  Krantz,  who  was  aware 
that  the  mutiny  would  soon  be  excited,  when  it  was  under- 
stood that  those  who  composed  the  expedition  were  to  be 
sacrificed  to  the  avarice  of  the  Commandant.  The  weather 
being  fine,  they  sailed  on  during  the  night  :  passed  the 
island  of  Ternate  at  ten  leagues'  distance  ;  and  before 
morning  were  among  the  cluster  of  isles,  the  southernmost 
of  which  was  the  one  on  which  the  treasure  had  been 
buried.  On  the  second  night  the  vessels  were  beached 
upon  a  small  island  ;  and  then,  for  the  first  time,  a  com- 


352  The  Phantom  Ship 

munication  took  place  between  the  soldiers  who  had  been 
in  the  boat  with  Pedro  and  Krantz,  and  those  who  had 
been  embarked  with  the  Commandant.  Philip  and  Krantz 
had  also  an  opportunity  of  communicating  apart  for  a  short 
time. 

When  they  made  sail  the  next  morning,  Pedro  spoke 
openly ;  he  told  Krantz  that  the  soldiers  in  the  boat  had 
made  up  their  minds,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  the 
others  would  do  so  before  night ;  although  they  had  not 
decidedly  agreed  upon  joining  them  in  the  morning  when 
they  had  re-embarked.  That  they  would  despatch  the 
Commandant,  and  then  proceed  to  Batavia,  and  from  thence 
obtain  a  passage  home  to  Europe. 

"  Cannot  you  accomplish  your  end  without  murder  ?  '* 

**  Yes,  we  could  ;  but  not  our  revenge.  You  do  not 
know  the  treatment  which  we  have  received  from  his 
hands  ;  and  sweet  as  the  money  will  be  to  us,  his  death 
will  be  even  sweeter  Besides,  has  he  not  determined  to 
murder  us  all  in  some  way  or  another  ?  It  is  but  justice. 
No,  no  ;  if  there  was  no  other  knife  ready — mine  is." 

**  And  so  are  all  ours  !  "  cried  the  other  soldiers,  putting 
their  hands  to  their  weapons. 

One  more  day's  sail  brought  them  within  twenty  miles 
erf  the  island  ;  for  Philip  knew  his  landmarks  well.  Again 
they  landed,  and  all  retired  to  rest,  the  Commandant 
dreaming  of  wealth  and  revenge  ;  while  it  was  arranging 
that  the  digging  up  of  the  treasure  which  he  coveted 
should  be  the  signal  for  his  death. 

Once  more  did  they  embark,  and  the  Commandant 
heeded  not  the  dark  and  lowering  faces  with  which  he  was 
surrounded.  He  was  all  gaiety  and  politeness.  Swiftly 
did  they  skim  over  the  dark  blue  sea,  between  the  beautiful 
islands  with  which  it  was  studded,  and  before  the  sun  was 
three  hours  high,  Philip  recognised  the  one  sought  after, 
and  pointed  out  to  the  Commandant  the  notched  cocoa-nut 
tree,  which  served  as  a  guide  to  the  spot  where  the  money 
had  been  concealed.  They  landed  on  the  sandy  beach,  and 
the  shovels  were  ordered  to  be  brought  on  shore  by  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^53 

impatient  little  officer  ;  who  little  thought  that  every 
moment  of  time  gained  was  but  so  much  time  lost  to  him, 
and  that  while  he  was  smiling  and  meditating  treachery, 
that  others  could  do  the  same. 

The  party  arrived  under  the  tree — the  shovels  soon 
removed  the  light  sand,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  the  trea- 
sure was  exposed  to  view.  Bag  after  bag  was  handed  up, 
and  the  loose  dollars  collected  into  heaps.  Two  of  the 
soldiers  had  been  sent  to  the  vessels  for  sacks  to  put  the 
loose  dollars  in,  and  the  men  had  desisted  from  their 
labour  j  they  laid  aside  their  spades,  looks  were  exchanged, 
and  all  were  ready. 

The  Commandant  turned  round  to  call  to  and  hasten  the 
movements  of  the  men  who  had  been  sent  for  the  sacks, 
when  three  or  four  knives  simultaneously  pierced  him 
through  the  back ;  he  fell,  and  was  expostulating  when 
they  were  again  buried  in  his  bosom,  and  he  lay  a  corpse. 
Philip  and  Krantz  remained  silent  spectators — the  knives 
were  drawn  out,  wiped,  and  replaced  in  their  sheathes. 

"  He  has  met  his  reward,"  said  Krantz. 

"Yes,"  exclaimed  the  Portuguese  soldiers— "justice, 
nothing  but  justice." 

"  Signors,  you  shall  have  your  share,"  observed  Pedro. 
"  Shall  they  not,  my  men  ? " 

"Yes!  yes!" 

"  Not  one  dollar,  my  good  friends,"  replied  Philip ; 
"  take  all  the  money,  and  may  you  be  happy  ;  all  we  ask 
is,  your  assistance  to  proceed  on  our  way  to  where  we  are 
about  to  go.  And  now  before  you  divide  your  money, 
oblige  me  by  burying  the  body  of  that  unfortunate  man." 

The  soldiers  obeyed.  Resuming  their  shovels,  they 
soon  scooped  out  a  shallow  grave;  the  Commandant's 
body  was  thrown  in,  and  covered  up  from  sight. 


p.s. 


354  The  Phantom  Ship 


Chapter  XXXIX 

Scarcely  had  the  soldiers  performed  their  task,  and 
thrown  down  their  shovels,  when  they  commenced  an 
altercation.  It  appeared  that  this  money  was  to  be  again 
the  cause  of  slaughter  and  bloodshed.  Philip  and  Krantz 
determined  to  sail  immediately  in  one  of  the  peroquas,  and 
leave  them  to  settle  their  disputes  as  they  pleased.  He 
asked  permission  of  the  soldiers  to  take  from  the  provisions 
and  water,  of  which  there  was  ample  supply,  a  larger 
proportion  than  was  their  share ;  stating,  that  he  and 
Krantz  had  a  long  voyage  and  would  require  it,  and 
pointing  out  to  them  that  there  were  plenty  of  cocoa-nuts 
for  their  support.  The  soldiers,  who  thought  of  nothing 
but  their  newly-acquired  wealth,  allowed  him  to  do  as  he 
pleased ;  and  having  hastily  collected  as  many  cocoa-nuts 
as  they  could,  to  add  to  their  stock  of  provisions,  before 
noon  Philip  and  Krantz  had  embarked,  and  made  sail  in 
the  peroqua,  leaving  the  soldiers  with  their  knives  again 
drawn,  and  so  busy  in  their  angry  altercation  as  to  be 
heedless  of  their  departure. 

"  There  will  be  the  same  scene  over  again,  I  expect," 
observed  Krantz,  as  the  vessel  parted  swiftly  from  the 
shore. 

"  I  have  little  doubt  of  it ;  observe,  even  now  they  are 
at  blows  and  stabs." 

**  If  I  were  to  name  that  spot,  it  should  be  the  '  Accursed 
IsUr' 

"  Would  not  any  other  be  the  same,  with  so  much  to 
inflame  the  passions  of  men  ? " 

**  Assuredly  :  what  a  curse  is  gold  !  " 

"  And  what  a  blessing  !  '*  replied  Krantz,  **  I  am  sorry 
Pedro  is  left  with  them." 

" It  is  their  destiny,"  replied  Philip  ;  "so  let's  think  no 
more  of  them.  Now  what  do  you  propose  ?  With  this 
vessel,  small  as  she  is,  we  may  sail  over  these  seas  in 


The  Phantom  Ship  355 

safety ;  and  we  have,  I  imagine,  provisions  sufficient  for 
more  than  a  month." 

"  My  idea  is  to  run  into  the  track  of  the  vessels  going 
to  the  westward,  and  obtain  a  passage  to  Goa." 

"  And  if  we  do  not  meet  with  any,  we  can  at  all  events 
proceed  up  the  Straits  as  far  as  Pulo  Penang  without  risk. 
There  we  may  safely  remain  until  a  vessel  passes." 

"  I  agree  with  you ;  it  is  our  best,  nay  our  only  place  j 
unless,  indeed,  we  were  to  proceed  to  Cochin,  where  junks 
are  always  leaving  for  Goa." 

"But  that  would  be  out  of  our  way,  and  the  junks 
cannot  well  pass  us  in  the  Straits  without  their  being  seen 
by  us." 

They  had  no  difficulty  in  steering  their  course;  the 
islands  by  day,  and  the  clear  stars  by  night,  were  their 
compass.  It  is  true  that  they  did  not  follow  the  more 
direct  track,  but  they  followed  the  more  secure,  working 
up  through  the  smooth  waters,  and  gaining  to  the  north- 
ward more  than  to  the  west.  Many  times  were  they 
chased  by  the  Malay  proas,  which  infested  the  islands,  but 
the  swiftness  of  their  little  peroqua  was  their  security  ; 
indeed  the  chase  was,  generally  speaking,  abandoned,  as 
soon  as  the  smallness  of  the  vessel  was  made  out  by  the 
pirates,  who  expected  that  little  or  no  booty  was  to  be 
gained. 

That  Amine  and  Philip's  mission  was  the  constant  theme 
of  their  discourse,  may  easily  be  imagined.  One  morning, 
as  they  were  sailing  between  the  isles,  with  less  wind  than 
usual,  Philip  observed : — 

**  Krantz,  you  said  that  there  were  events  in  your  own 
life,  or  connected  with  it,  which  would  corroborate  the 
mysterious  tale  I  confided  to  you.  Will  you  now  tell  me 
to  what  you  referred  ? " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Krantz  ;  "  I  have  often  thought  of 
doing  so,  but  one  circumstance  or  another  has  hitherto 
prevented  me ;  this  is,  however,  a  fitting  opportunity. 
Prepare  therefore  to  listen  to  a  strange  story,  quite  as 
strange,  perhaps,  as  your  own. 


^^6  The  Phantom  Ship 

"I  take  it  for  granted,  that  you  have  heard  people 
speak  of  the  Hartz  Mountains,"  observed  Krantz. 

"  I  have  never  heard  people  speak  of  them  that  I  can 
recollect,"  replied  Philip ;  "  but  I  have  read  of  them  in 
some  book,  and  of  the  strange  things  which  have  occurred 
there." 

"It  is  indeed  a  wild  region,"  rejoined  Krantz,  "and 
many  strange  tales  are  told  of  it ;  but,  strange  as  they  are, 
I  have  good  reason  for  believing  them  to  be  true.  I  have 
told  you,  Philip,  that  I  fully  believe  in  your  communion 
with  the  other  world — that  I  credit  the  history  of  your 
father,  and  the  lawfulness  of  your  mission  ;  for  that  we 
are  surrounded,  impelled,  and  worked  upon  by  beings 
different  in  their  nature  from  ourselves,  I  have  had  full 
evidence,  as  you  will  acknowledge,  when  I  state  what  has 
occurred  in  my  own  family.  Why  such  malevolent  beings 
as  I  am  about  to  speak  of  should  be  permitted  to  interfere 
with  us,  and  punish,  I  may  say,  comparatively  unoffending 
mortals,  is  beyond  my  comprehension ;  but  that  they  are 
so  permitted  is  most  certain." 

"  The  great  principle  of  all  evil  fulfils  his  work  of  evil ; 
why,  then,  not  the  other  minor  spirits  of  the  same  class  ?  " 
inquired  Philip.  "What  matters  it  to  us,  whether  we 
are  tried  by,  and  have  to  suffer  from,  the  enmity  of  our 
fellow-mortals,  or  whether  we  are  persecuted  by  beings 
more  powerful  and  more  malevolent  than  ourselves  ? 
We  know  that  we  have  to  work  out  our  salvation,  and 
that  we  shall  be  judged  according  to  our  strength;  if 
then  there  be  evil  spirits  who  delight  to  oppress  man, 
there  surely  must  be,  as  Amine  asserts,  good  spirits, 
whose  delight  is  to  do  him  service.  Whether,  then,  we 
have  to  struggle  against  our  passions  only,  or  whether 
we  have  to  struggle  not  only  against  our  passions,  but 
also  the  dire  influence  of  unseen  enemies,  we  ever  struggle 
with  the  same  odds  in  our  favour,  as  the  good  are  stronger 
than  the  evil  which  we  combat.  In  either  case  we  are 
on  the  'vantage  ground,  whether,  as  in  the  first,  we  fight 
the  good  cause  single-handed,  or  as  in  the  second,  although 


The  Phantom  Ship  357 

opposed,  we  have  the  host  of  Heaven  ranged  on  our  side. 
Thus  are  the  scales  of  Divine  Justice  evenly  balanced, 
and  man  is  still  a  free  agent,  as  his  own  virtuous  or  vicious 
propensities  must  ever  decide  whether  he  shall  gain  or 
lose  the  victory." 

"Most  true,"  replied  Krantz,  "and  now  to  my  history. 

"  My  father  was  not  born,  or  originally  a  resident,  in 
the  Hartz  Mountains ;  he  was  the  serf  of  an  Hungarian 
nobleman,  of  great  possessions,  in  Transylvania;  but,  al- 
though a  serf,  he  was  not  by  any  means  a  poor  or  illiterate 
man.  In  fact,  he  was  rich,  and  his  intelligence  and 
respectability  were  such,  that  he  had  been  raised  by  his 
lord  to  the  stewardship  ;  but,  whoever  may  happen  to  be 
born  a  serf,  a  serf  must  he  remain,  even  though  he 
become  a  wealthy  man;  such  was  the  condition  of  my 
father.  My  father  had  been  married  for  about  five  years  ; 
and,  by  his  marriage,  had  three  children — my  eldest 
brother  Cassar,  myself  (Hermann),  and  a  sister  named 
Marcella.  You  know,  Philip,  that  Latin  is  still  the 
language  spoken  in  that  country ;  and  that  will  account 
for  our  high  sounding  names.  My  mother  was  a  very 
beautiful  woman,  unfortunately  more  beautiful  than 
virtuous  :  she  was  seen  and  admired  by  the  lord  of  the 
soil ;  my  father  was  sent  away  upon  some  mission  ;  and, 
during  his  absence,  my  mother,  flattered  by  the  attentions, 
and  won  by  the  assiduities,  of  this  nobleman,  yielded  to 
his  wishes.  It  so  happened  that  my  father  returned  very 
unexpectedly,  and  discovered  the  intrigue.  The  evidence 
of  my  mother's  shame  was  positive :  he  surprised  her  in 
the  company  of  her  seducer !  Carried  away  by  the 
impetuosity  of  his  feelings,  he  watched  the  opportunity 
of  a  meeting  taking  place  between  them,  and  murdered 
both  his  wife  and  her  seducer.  Conscious  that,  as  a  serf, 
not  even  the  provocation  which  he  had  received  would 
be  allowed  as  a  justification  of  his  conduct,  he  hastily 
collected  together  what  money  he  could  lay  his  hands 
upon,  and,  as  we  were  then  in  the  depth  of  winter,  he 
put  his  horses  to  the  sleigh,  and  taking  his  children  with 


^^S  The  Phantom  Ship 

him,  he  set  off  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and  was  far  away 
before  the  tragical  circumstance  had  transpired.  Aware 
that  he  would  be  pursued,  and  that  he  had  no  chance  of 
escape  if  he  remained  in  any  portion  of  his  native  country 
(in  which  the  authorities  could  lay  hold  of  him),  he 
continued  his  flight  without  intermission  until  he  had 
buried  himself  in  the  intricacies  and  seclusion  of  the  Hartz 
Mountains.  Of  course,  all  that  I  have  now  told  you  I 
learned  afterwards.  My  oldest  recollections  are  knit  ta 
a  rude,  yet  comfortable  cottage,  in  which  I  lived  with 
my  father,  brother,  and  sister.  It  was  on  the  confines 
of  one  of  those  vast  forests  which  cover  the  northern  part 
of  Germany ;  around  it  were  a  few  acres  of  ground, 
which,  during  the  summer  months,  my  father  cultivated, 
and  which,  though  they  yielded  a  doubtful  harvest,  were 
sufficient  for  our  support.  In  the  winter  we  remained 
much  in  doors,  for,  as  my  father  followed  the  chase,  we 
were  left  alone,  and  the  wolves,  during  that  season, 
incessantly  prowled  about.  My  father  had  purchased  the 
cottage,  and  land  about  it,  of  one  of  the  rude  foresters, 
who  gain  their  livelihood  partly  by  hunting,  and  partly 
by  burning  charcoal,  for  the  purpose  of  smelting  the  ore 
from  the  neighbouring  mines  ;  it  was  distant  about  two 
miles  from  any  other  habitation.  I  can  call  to  mind  the 
whole  landscape  now:  the  tall  pines  which  rose  up  on 
the  mountain  above  us,  and  the  wide  expanse  of  forest 
beneath,  on  the  topmost  boughs  and  heads  of  whose  treea 
we  looked  down  from  our  cottage,  as  the  mountain  below 
us  rapidly  descended  into  the  distant  valley.  In  summer- 
time the  prospect  was  beautiful;  but  during  the  severe 
winter,  a  more  desolate  scene  could  not  well  be 
imagined. 

"  I  said  that,  in  the  winter,  my  father  occupied  himself 
with  the  chase;  every  day  he  left  us,  and  often  would 
he  lock  the  door,  that  we  might  not  leave  the  cottage. 
He  had  no  one  to  assist  him,  or  to  take  care  of  us — indeed^ 
it  was  not  easy  to  find  a  female  servant  who  would  live 
in  such  a   solitude ;    but,  could  he  have   found  one,   my 


The  Phantom  Ship  359 

father  would  not  have  received  her,  for  he  had  imbibed 
a  horror  of  the  sex,  as  the  difference  of  his  conduct 
towards  us,  his  two  boys,  and  my  poor  httle  sister, 
Marcella,  evidently  proved.  You  may  suppose  we  were 
sadly  neglected ;  indeed,  we  suffered  much,  for  my  father, 
fearful  that  we  might  come  to  some  harm,  would  not 
allow  us  fuel,  when  he  left  the  cottage ;  and  we  were 
obliged,  therefore,  to  creep  under  the  heaps  of  bears'-skins, 
and  there  to  keep  ourselves  as  warm  as  we  could  until 
he  returned  in  the  evening,  when  a  blazing  fire  was  our 
delight.  That  my  father  chose  this  restless  sort  of  life 
may  appear  strange,  but  the  fact  was  that  he  could  not 
remain  quiet ;  whether  from  remorse  for  having  com- 
mitted murder,  or  from  the  misery  consequent  on  his 
change  of  situation,  or  from  both  combined,  he  was  never 
happy  unless  he  was  in  a  state  of  activity.  Children, 
however,  when  left  much  to  themselves,  acquire  a 
thoughtfulness  not  common  to  their  age.  So  it  was 
with  us  ;  and  during  the  short  cold  days  of  winter  we 
would  sit  silent,  longing  for  the  happy  hours  when  the 
snow  would  melt,  and  the  leaves  burst  out,  and  the  birds 
begin  their  songs,  and  when  we  should  again  be  set  at 
liberty. 

**  Such  was  our  peculiar  and  savage  sort  of  life  until  my 
brother  Caesar  was  nine,  myself  seven,  and  my  sister  five, 
years  old,  when  the  circumstances  occurred  on  which  is 
based  the  extraordinary  narrative  which  I  am  about  to 
relate. 

**  One  evening  my  father  returned  home  rather  later 
than  usual ;  he  had  been  unsuccessful,  and,  as  the  weather 
was  very  severe,  and  many  feet  of  snow  were  upon  the 
ground,  he  was  not  only  very  cold,  but  in  a  very  bad 
humour.  He  had  brought  in  wood,  and  we  were  all 
three  of  us  gladly  assisting  each  other  in  blowing  on  the 
embers  to  create  the  blaze,  when  he  caught  poor  little 
Marcella  by  the  arm  and  threw  her  aside ;  the  child  fell, 
struck  her  mouth,  and  bled  very  much.  My  brother 
ran  to  raise  her  up.     Accustomed  to  ill  usage,  and  afraid 


360  The  Phantom  Ship 

of  my  father,  she  did  not  dare  to  cry,  but  looked  up  in 
his  face  very  piteously.  My  father  drew  his  stool  nearer 
to  the  hearth,  muttered  something  in  abuse  of  women, 
and  busied  himself  with  the  fire,  which  both  my  brother 
and  I  had  deserted  when  our  sister  was  so  unkindly 
treated.  A  cheerful  blaze  was  soon  the  result  of  his 
exertions;  but  we  did  not,  as  usual,  crowd  round  it. 
Marcella,  still  bleeding,  retired  to  a  corner,  and  my 
brother  and  I  took  our  seats  beside  her,  while  my  father 
hung  over  the  fire  gloomily  and  alone.  Such  had  been 
our  position  for  about  half-an-hour,  when  the  howl  of  a 
wolf,  close  under  the  window  of  the  cottage,  fell  on  our 
ears.  My  father  started  up,  and  seized  his  gun:  the 
howl  was  repeated,  he  examined  the  priming,  and  then 
hastily  left  the  cottage,  shutting  the  door  after  him. 
We  all  waited  (anxiously  listening),  for  we  thought  that 
if  he  succeeded  in  shooting  the  wolf,  he  would  return  in 
a  better  humour ;  and  although  he  was  harsh  to  all  of  us, 
and  particularly  so  to  our  little  sister,  still  we  loved  our 
father,  and  loved  to  see  him  cheerful  and  happy,  for  what 
else  had  we  to  look  up  to  ?  And  I  may  here  observe, 
that  perhaps  there  never  were  three  children  who  were 
fonder  of  each  other;  we  did  not,  like  other  children, 
fight  and  dispute  together;  and  if,  by  chance,  any  dis- 
agreement did  arise  between  my  elder  brother  and  me, 
little  Marcella  would  run  to  us,  and  kissing  us  both,  seal, 
through  her  entreaties,  the  peace  between  us.  Marcella 
was  a  lovely,  amiable  child;  I  can  recall  her  beautiful 
features  even  now — Alas  !  poor  little  Marcella." 

"  She  is  dead  then  ? "  observed  Philip. 

"  Dead  !  yes,  dead  ! — but  how  did  she  die  .? — But  I 
must  not  anticipate,  Philip ;  let  me  tell  my  story. 

"  We  waited  for  some  time,  but  the  report  of  the  gun 
did  not  reach  us,  and  my  elder  brother  then  said,  *  Our 
father  has  followed  the  wolf,  and  will  not  be  back  for  some 
time.  Marcella,  let  us  wash  the  blood  from  your  mouth, 
and  then  we  will  leave  this  corner,  and  go  to  the  fire 
and  warm  ourselves.' 


The  Phantom  Ship  361 

"We  did  so,  and  remained  there  until  near  midnight, 
every  minute  wondering,  as  it  grew  later,  why  our  father 
did  not  return.  We  had  no  idea  that  he  was  in  any  danger, 
but  we  thought  that  he  must  have  chased  the  wolf  for  a 
very  long  time.  •  I  will  look  out  and  see  if  father  is 
coming,'  said  my  brother  Caesar,  going  to  the  door.  *  Take 
care,'  said  Marcella,  *  the  wolves  must  be  about  now,  and 
we  cannot  kill  them,  brother.'  My  brother  opened  the 
door  very  cautiously,  and  but  a  few  inches ;  he  peeped 
out. — *  I  see  nothing,'  said  he,  after  a  time,  and  once  more 
he  joined  us  at  the  fire.  *  We  have  had  no  supper,'  said 
I,  for  my  father  usually  cooked  the  meat  as  soon  as  he  came 
home;  and  during  his  absence  we  had  nothing  but  the 
fragments  of  the  preceding  day. 

"  *  And  if  our  father  comes  home  after  his  hunt,  Csesar,' 
said  Marcella,  *  he  will  be  pleased  to  have  some  supper ; 
let  us  cook  it  for  him  and  for  ourselves.'  Caesar  climbed 
upon  the  stool,  and  reached  down  some  meat — I  forget  now 
whether  it  was  venison  or  bear's  meat ;  but  we  cut  off  the 
usual  quantity,  and  proceeded  to  dress  it,  as  we  used  to  do 
under  our  father's  superintendence.  We  were  all  busied 
putting  it  into  the  platters  before  the  fire,  to  await  his 
coming,  when  we  heard  the  sound  of  a  horn.  We  listened 
— there  was  a  noise  outside,  and  a  minute  afterwards  my 
father  entered,  ushering  in  a  young  female,  and  a  large 
dark  man  in  a  hunter's  dress. 

**  Perhaps  I  had  better  now  relate,  what  was  only  known 
to  me  many  years  afterwards.  When  my  father  had  left 
the  cottage,  he  perceived  a  large  white  wolf  about  thirty 
yards  from  him ;  as  soon  as  the  animal  saw  my  father,  it 
retreated  slowly,  growling  and  snarling.  My  father  fol- 
lowed ;  the  animal  did  not  run,  but  always  kept  at  some 
distance ;  and  my  father  did  not  like  to  fire  until  he  was 
pretty  certain  that  his  ball  would  take  effect:  thus  they 
went  on  for  some  time,  the  wolf  now  leaving  my  father  far 
behind,  and  then  stopping  and  snarling  defiance  at  him,  and 
then  again,  on  his  approach,  setting  off  at  speed. 

"  Anxious  to  shoot  the  animal  (for  the  white  wolf  is  very 


362  The  Phantom  Ship 

rare),  my  father  continued  the  pursuit  for  several  hours, 
during  which  he  continually  ascended  the  mountain. 

**  You  must  know,  Philip,  that  there  are  peculiar  spots 
on  those  mountains  which  are  supposed,  and,  as  my  story 
will  prove,  truly  supposed,  to  be  inhabited  by  the  evil 
influences ;  they  are  well  known  to  the  huntsmen,  who 
invariably  avoid  them.  Now,  one  of  these  spots,  an  open 
space  in  the  pine  forests  above  us,  had  been  pointed  out  to 
my  father  as  dangerous  on  that  account.  But,  whether  he 
disbelieved  these  wild  stories,  or  whether,  in  his  eager 
pursuit  of  the  chase,  he  disregarded  them,  I  know  not ; 
certain,  however,  it  is,  that  he  was  decoyed  by  the  white 
wolf  to  this  open  space,  when  the  animal  appeared  to 
slacken  her  speed.  My  father  approached,  came  close  up 
to  her,  raised  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  and  was  about  to 
fire ;  when  the  wolf  suddenly  disappeared.  He  thought 
that  the  snow  on  the  ground  must  have  dazzled  his  sight, 
and  he  let  down  his  gun  to  look  for  the  beast — but  she  was 
gone ;  how  she  could  have  escaped  over  the  clearance, 
without  his  seeing  her,  was  beyond  his  comprehension. 
Mortified  at  the  ill  success  of  his  chase,  he  was  about  to 
retrace  his  steps,  when  he  heard  the  distant  sound  of  a  horn. 
Astonishment  at  such  a  sound — at  such  an  hour — in  such  a 
wilderness,  made  him  forget  for  the  moment  his  disappoint- 
ment, and  he  remained  riveted  to  the  spot.  In  a  minute 
the  horn  was  blown  a  second  time,  and  at  no  great  distance  j 
my  father  stood  still,  and  listened :  a  third  time  it  was 
blown.  I  forget  the  term  used  to  express  it,  but  it  was  the 
signal  which,  my  father  well  knew,  implied  that  the  party 
was  lost  in  the  woods.  In  a  few  minutes  more  my  father 
beheld  a  man  on  horseback,  with  a  female  seated  on  the 
crupper,  enter  the  cleared  space,  and  ride  up  to  him.  At 
first,  my  father  called  to  mind  the  strange  stories  which  he 
had  heard  of  the  supernatural  beings  who  were  said  to 
frequent  these  mountains ;  but  the  nearer  approach  of  the 
parties  satisfied  him  that  they  were  mortals  like  himself. 
As  soon  as  they  came  up  to  him,  the  man  who  guided  the 
horse  accosted  him.     *  Friend  Hunter,  you  are  out  late,  the 


The  Phantom  Ship  ;^6;^ 

better  fortune  for  us  :  we  have  ridden  far,  and  are  in  fear 
of  our  lives,  which  are  eagerly  sought  after.  These 
mountains  have  enabled  us  to  elude  our  pursuers ;  but  if 
we  find  not  shelter  and  refreshment,  that  will  avail  us  little, 
as  we  must  perish  from  hunger  and  the  inclemency  of  the 
night.  My  daughter,  who  rides  behind  me,  is  now  more 
dead  than  alive —  say,  can  you  assist  us  in  our  difficulty  ?  * 

"  *  My  cottage  is  some  few  miles  distant,'  replied  my 
father,  '  but  I  have  little  to  offer  you  besides  a  shelter  from 
the  weather ;  to  the  little  I  have  you  are  welcome.  May 
I  ask  whence  you  come  ? ' 

"  *  Yes,  friend,  it  is  no  secret  now ;  we  have  escaped 
from  Transylvania,  where  my  daughter's  honour  and  my 
life  were  equally  in  jeopardy  ! ' 

"  This  information  was  quite  enough  to  raise  an  interest 
in  my  father's  heart.  He  remembered  his  own  escape  :  he 
remembered  the  loss  of  his  wife's  honour,  and  the  tragedy 
by  which  it  was  wound  up.  He  immediately,  and  warmly, 
offered  all  the  assistance  which  he  could  afford  them. 

**  *  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost,  then,  good  sir,' observed 
the  horseman  j  '  my  daughter  is  chilled  with  the  frost,  and 
cannot  hold  out  much  longer  against  the  severity  of  the 
weather.' 

"  *  Follow  me,' replied  my  father,  leading  the  way  towards 
his  home. 

"  *  I  was  lured  away  in  pursuit  of  a  large  white  wolf,' 
observed  my  father  ;  *  it  came  to  the  very  window  of  my 
hut,  or  I  should  not  have  been  out  at  this  time  of 
night.' 

"  *  The  creature  passed  by  us  just  as  we  came  out  of  the 
wood,'  said  the  female  in  a  silvery  tone. 

"  *  I  was  nearly  discharging  my  piece  at  it,' observed  the 
hunter  ,  *  but  since  it  did  us  such  good  service,  I  am  glad 
that  I  allowed  it  to  escape.' 

"  In  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  during  which  my  father 
walked  at  a  rapid  pace,  the  party  arrived  at  the  cottage,  and, 
as  I  said  before,  came  in. 

"  *  We  are  in  good  time,  apparently,'  observed  the  dark 


364  The  Phantom  Ship 

hunter,  catching  the  smell  of  the  roasted  meat,  as  he  walked 
to  the  fire  and  surveyed  my  brother  and  sister,  and  myself. 
*  You  have  young  cooks  here.  Mynheer.'  *  I  am  glad  that 
we  shall  not  have  to  wait,'  replied  my  father.  'Come, 
mistress,  seat  yourself  by  the  fire  ;  you  require  warmth 
after  your  cold  ride.'  *  And  where  can  I  put  up  my  horse. 
Mynheer  ? '  observed  the  huntsman.'  *  I  will  take  care  of 
him,'  replied  my  father,  going  out  of  the  cottage  door. 

"  The  female  must,  however,  be  particularly  described. 
She  was  young,  and  apparently  twenty  years  of  age.  She 
was  dressed  in  a  travelling  dress,  deeply  bordered  with 
white  fur,  and  wore  a  cap  of  white  ermine  on  her  head. 
Her  features  were  very  beautiful,  at  least  I  thought  so,  and 
so  my  father  has  since  declared.  Her  hair  was  flaxen, 
glossy  and  shining,  and  bright  as  a  mirror  ;  and  her  mouth, 
although  somewhat  large  when  it  was  open,  showed  the 
most  brilliant  teeth  I  have  ever  beheld.  But  there  was 
something  about  her  eyes,  bright  as  they  were,  which  made 
us  children  afraid ;  they  were  so  restless,  so  furtive ;  I 
could  not  at  that  time  tell  why,  but  I  felt  as  if  there  was 
cruelty  in  her  eye ;  and  when  she  beckoned  us  to  come  to 
her,  we  approached  her  with  fear  and  trembling.  Still 
she  was  beautiful,  very  beautiful.  She  spoke  kindly  to 
my  brother  and  myself,  patted  our  heads,  and  caressed  us ; 
but  Marcella  would  not  come  near  her  ;  on  the  contrary, 
she  slunk  away,  and  hid  herself  in  the  bed,  and  would  not 
wait  for  the  supper,  v/hich  half  an  hour  before  she  had  been 
so  anxious  for. 

"  My  father,  having  put  the  horse  into  a  close  shed,  soon 
returned,  and  supper  was  placed  upon  the  table.  When  it 
was  over,  my  father  requested  that  the  young  lady  would 
take  possession  of  his  bed,  and  he  would  remain  at  the  fire, 
and  sit  up  with  her  father.  After  some  hesitation  on  her 
part,  this  arrangement  was  agreed  to,  and  I  and  my 
brother  crept  into  the  other  bed  with  Marcella,  for  we 
had  as  yet  always  slept  together. 

"  But  we  could  not  sleep  ;  there  was  something  so  un- 
usual, not  only  in  seeing  strange  people,  but  in  having  those 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^6^ 

people  sleep  at  the  cottage,  that  we  were  bewildered.  As 
for  poor  little  Marcella,  she  was  quiet,  but  I  perceived  that 
she  trembled  during  the  whole  night,  and  sometimes  I 
thought  that  she  was  checking  a  sob.  My  father  had 
brought  out  some  spirits,  which  he  rarely  used,  and  he  and 
the  strange  hunter  remained  drinking  and  talking  before  the 
fire.  Our  ears  were  ready  to  catch  the  slightest  whisper — 
so  much  was  our  curiosity  excited. 

"  '  You  said  you  came  from  Transylvania  ?  '  observed  my 
father. 

"  *  Even  so.  Mynheer,'  replied   the  hunter.     *  I  was  a 

serf  to  the  noble  house  of ;  my  master  would  insist 

upon  my  surrendering  up  my  fair  girl  to  his  wishes  ; 
it  ended  in  my  giving  him  a  few  inches  of  my  hunting- 
knife.' 

"  *  We  are  countrymen,  and  brothers  in  misfortune,' 
replied  my  father,  taking  the  huntsman's  hand,  and  pressing 
it  warmly. 

"  *  Indeed  !  Are  you,  then,  from  that  country  ? ' 

"  '  Yes  ;  and  I  too  have  fled  for  my  life.  But  mine  is 
a  melancholy  tale.* 

**  '  Your  name  ? '  inquired  the  hunter. 

"  *  Krantz.' 

**'What!  Krantz  of- — —I  have  heard  your  tale,  you 
need  not  renew  your  grief  by  repeating  it  now.  Welcome, 
most  welcome.  Mynheer,  and,  I  may  say,  my  worthy 
kinsman.  I  am  your  second  cousin,  Wilfred  of  Barns- 
dorf,'  cried  the  hunter,  rising  up  and  embracing  my 
father. 

"  They  filled  their  horn  mugs  to  the  brim,  and  drank 
to  one  another,  after  the  German  fashion.  The  conversa- 
tion was  then  carried  on  in  a  low  tone  ;  all  that  we  could 
collect  from  it  was,  that  our  new  relative  and  his  daughter 
were  to  take  up  their  abode  in  our  cottage,  at  least  for  the 
present.  In  about  an  hour  they  both  fell  back  in  their 
chairs,  and  appeared  to  sleep. 

"  *  Marcella,  dear,  did  you  hear  ? '  said  my  brother  in 
a  low  tone. 


^66  The  Phantom  Ship 

**  <  Yes,'  replied  Marcella,  in  a  whisper ;  *  I  heard  all. 
Oh !  brother,  I  cannot  bear  to  look  upon  that  woman — 
I  feel  so  frightened.' 

**  My  brother  made  no  reply,  and  shortly  afterwards 
we  were  all  three  fast  asleep. 

**  When  we  awoke  the  next  morning,  we  found  that 
the  hunter's  daughter  had  risen  before  us.  I  thought 
she  looked  more  beautiful  than  ever.  She  came  up  to 
little  Marcella  and  caressed  her ;  the  child  burst  into 
tears,  and  sobbed  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 

"  But,  not  to  detain  you  with  too  long  a  story,  the 
huntsman  and  his  daughter  were  accommodated  in  the 
cottage.  My  father  and  he  went  out  hunting  daily, 
leaving  Christina  with  us.  She  performed  all  the  house- 
hold duties ;  was  very  kind  to  us  children ;  and,  gradually, 
the  dislike  even  of  little  Marcella  wore  away.  But  a 
great  change  took  place  in  my  father;  he  appeared  to 
have  conquered  his  aversion  to  the  sex,  and  was  most 
attentive  to  Christina.  Often,  after  her  father  and  we 
were  in  bed,  would  he  sit  up  with  her,  conversing  in  a 
low  tone  by  the  fire.  I  ought  to  have  mentioned,  that 
my  father  and  the  huntsman  Wilfred,  slept  in  another 
portion  of  the  cottage,  and  that  the  bed  which  he  formerly 
occupied,  and  which  was  in  the  same  room  as  ours,  had 
been  given  up  to  the  use  of  Christina.  These  visitors 
had  been  about  three  weeks  at  the  cottage,  when,  one 
night,  after  we  children  had  been  sent  to  bed,  a  consulta- 
tion was  held.  My  father  had  asked  Christina  in  marriage, 
and  had  obtained  both  her  own  consent  and  that  of 
Wilfred  ;  after  this  a  conversation  took  place,  which  was, 
as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect,  as  follows  : — 

*•  *  You  may  take  my  child.  Mynheer  Krantz,  and  my 
blessing  with  her,  and  I  shall  then  leave  you  and  seek 
some  other  habitation — it  matters  little  where.' 

"  *  Why  not  remain  here,  Wilfred  ?  ' 

"  *  No,  no,  I  am  called  elsewhere  ;  let  that  suffice,  and 
ask  no  more  questions.     You  have  my  child.' 

**  *  I  thank  you  for  her,  and  will  duly  value  her  j  but 
there  is  one  difficulty.' 


The  Phantom  Ship  367 

"  *  I  know  what  you  would  say  ;  there  is  no  priest  here 
in  this  wild  country :  true ;  neither  is  there  any  law  to 
bind  ;  still  must  some  ceremony  pass  between  you,  to 
satisfy  a  father.  Will  you  consent  to  marry  her  after 
my  fashion  ?  if  so,  I  will  marry  you  directly.' 

**  *  I  will,'  replied  my  father. 

"  *  Then  take  her  by  the  hand.   Now,  Mynheer,  swear.' 

**  *  I  swear,'  repeated  my  father. 

**  *By  all  the  spirits  of  the  Hartz  Mountains ' 

"  *  Nay,  why  not  by  Heaven  ? '  interrupted  my  father. 

**  *  Because  it  is  not  my  humour,'  rejoined  Wilfred ; 
*  if  I  prefer  that  oath,  less  binding  perhaps,  than  another, 
surely  you  will  not  thwart  me.* 

"  *  Well,  be  it  so  then  ;  have  your  humour.  Will  you 
make  me  swear  by  that  in  which  I  do  not  believe  ? ' 

**  *  Yet  many  do  so,  who  in  outward  appearance  are 
Christians,'  rejoined  Wilfred  5  *  say,  will  you  be  married, 
or  shall  I  take  my  daughter  away  with  me  ? ' 

"  *  Proceed,'  replied  my  father,  impatiently. 

**  *  I  swear  by  all  the  spirits  of  the  Hartz  Mountains, 
by  all  their  power  for  good  or  for  evil,  that  I  take 
Christina  for  my  wedded  wife ;  that  I  will  ever  protect 
her,  cherish  her,  and  love  her  ;  that  my  hand  shall  never 
be  raised  against  her  to  harm  her.' 

"  My  father  repeated  the  words  after  Wilfred. 

**  *  And  if  I  fail  in  this  my  vow,  may  all  the  vengeance 
of  the  spirits  fall  upon  me  and  upon  my  children ;  may 
they  perish  by  the  vulture,  by  the  wolf,  or  other  beasts 
of  the  forest ;  may  their  flesh  be  torn  from  their  limbs, 
and  their  bones  blanch  in  the  wilderness  5  all  this  I 
swear.' 

"  My  father  hesitated,  as  he  repeated  the  last  words ; 
little  Marcella  could  not  restrain  herself,  and  as  my  father 
repeated  the  last  sentence,  she  burst  into  tears.  This 
sudden  interruption  appeared  to  discompose  the  party, 
particularly  my  father;  he  spoke  harshly  to  the  child, 
who  controlled  her  sobs,  burying  her  face  under  the 
bed-clothes. 


^68  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  Such  was  the  second  marriage  of  my  father.  The 
next  morning,  the  hunter  "Wilfred  mounted  his  horse, 
and  rode  away. 

*'  My  father  resumed  his  bed,  which  was  in  the  same 
room  as  ours  j  and  things  went  on  much  as  before  the 
marriage,  except  that  our  new  mother-in-law  did  not 
show  any  kindness  towards  us ;  indeed,  during  my 
father's  absence,  she  would  often  beat  us,  particularly 
little  Marcella,  and  her  eyes  would  flash  fire,  as  she 
looked  eagerly  upon  the  fair  and  lovely  child. 

"  One  night,  my  sister  awoke  me  and  my  brother. 

**  *  What  is  the  matter  ? '  said  Caesar. 

"  *  She  has  gone  out,'  whispered  Marcella. 

"'Gone  out !' 

"  *  Yes,  gone  out  at  the  door,  in  her  night-clothes,' 
replied  the  child ;  *  I  saw  her  get  out  of  bed,  look  at  my 
father  to  see  if  he  slept,  and  then  she  went  out  at  the 
door.' 

"  What  could  induce  her  to  leave  her  bed,  and  all  un- 
dressed to  go  out,  in  such  bitter  wintry  weather,  with  the 
snow  deep  on  the  ground,  was  to  us  incomprehensibl*©; 
we  lay  awake,  and  in  about  an  hour  we  heard  the  growl  of 
a  wolf,  close  under  the  window. 

**  *  There  is  a  wolf,'  said  Caesar ;  *  she  will  be  torn  to 
pieces.' 

'* '  Oh,  no  ! '  cried  Marcella. 

**  In  a  few  minutes  afterwards  our  mother-in-law  ap- 
peared; she  was  in  her  night-dress,  as  Marcella  had  stated. 
She  let  down  the  latch  of  the  door,  so  as  to  make  no  noise, 
went  to  a  pail  of  water,  and  washed  her  face  and  hands, 
and  then  slipped  into  the  bed  where  my  father  lay. 

"  We  all  three  trembled,  we  hardly  knew  why,  but  we 
resolved  to  watch  the  next  night :  we  did  so — and  not 
only  on  the  ensuing  night,  but  on  many  others,  and  always 
at  about  the  same  hour,  would  our  mother-in-law  rise 
from  her  bed,  and  leave  the  cottage — and  after  she  was 
gone,  we  invariably  heard  the  growl  of  a  wolf  under  our 
window,  and  always  saw  her,  on  her  return,  wash  herself 


The  Phantom  Ship  369 

before  she  retired  to  bed.  We  observed,  also,  that  she 
seldom  sat  down  to  meals,  and  that  when  she  did,  she 
appeared  to  eat  with  dislike;  but  when  the  meat  was  taken 
down,  to  be  prepared  for  dinner,  she  would  often  furtively- 
put  a  raw  piece  into  her  mouth. 

"  My  brother  Caesar  was  a  courageous  boy  ;  he  did  not 
like  to  speak  to  my  father  until  he  knew  more.  He  re- 
solved that  he  would  follow  her  out,  and  ascertain  what 
she  did.  Marcella  and  I  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him 
from  this  project ;  but  he  would  not  be  controlled,  and, 
the  very  next  night  he  lay  down  in  his  clothes,  and  as 
soon  as  our  mother-in-law  had  left  the  cottage,  he  jumped 
up,  took  down  my  father's  gun,  and  followed  her. 

"  You  may  imagine  in  what  a  state  of  suspense  Marcella 
and  I  remained,  during  his  absence.  After  a  few  minutes, 
we  heard  the  report  of  a  gun.  It  did  not  awaken  my 
father,  and  we  lay  trembling  with  anxiety.  In  a  minute 
afterwards  we  saw  our  mother-in-law  enter  the  cottage — 
her  dress  was  bloody.  I  put  my  hand  to  Marcella's  mouth 
to  prevent  her  crying  out,  although  I  was  myself  in  great 
alarm.  Our  mother-in-law  approached  my  father's  bed, 
looked  to  see  if  he  was  asleep,  and  then  went  to  the 
chimney,  and  blew  up  the  embers  into  a  blaze. 

**  *  Who  is  there  ?'  said  my  father,  waking  up. 

"  *  Lie  still,  dearest,'  replied  my  mother-in-law,  *  it  is 
only  me ;  I  have  lighted  the  fire  to  warm  some  water ;  I 
am  not  quite  well.' 

"  My  father  turned  round  and  was  soon  asleep ;  but  we 
watched  our  mother-in-law.  She  changed  her  linen,  and 
threw  the  garments  she  had  worn  into  the  fire ;  and  we 
then  perceived  that- her  right  leg  was  bleeding  profusely, 
as  if  from  a  gun-shot  wound.  She  bandaged  it  up,  and 
then  dressing  herself,  remained  before  the  fire  until  the 
break  of  day. 

"Poor   little   Marcella,  her   heart   beat   quick   as   she 

pressed  me  to  her  side — so  indeed  did  mine.     Where  was 

our  brother,  Caesar  ?     How  did  my  mother-in-law  receive 

the  wound  unless  from  his  gun  ?     At  last  my  father  rose, 

p.s.  2  A 


370  The  Phantom  Ship 

and  then,  for  the  first  time  I  spoke,  saying,  *  Father,  where 
is  my  brother,  Caesar  ? ' 

**  *  Your  brother  ! '  exclaimed  he,  *  why,  where  can  he 
be?' 

"  *  Merciful  Heaven !  I  thought  as  I  lay  very  restless 
last  night,'  observed  our  mother-in-law,  *  that  I  heard 
somebody  open  the  latch  of  the  door  5  and,  dear  me, 
husband,  what  has  become  of  your  gun  ? ' 

"  My  father  cast  his  eyes  up  above  the  chimney,  and 
perceived  that  his  gun  was  missing.  For  a  moment  he 
looked  perplexed,  then  seizing  a  broad  axe,  he  went  out 
of  the  cottage  without  saying  another  word. 

"  He  did  not  remain  away  from  us  long :  in  a  few 
minutes  he  returned,  bearing  in  his  arms  the  mangled  body 
of  my  poor  brother ;  he  laid  it  down,  and  covered  up  his 
face. 

"  My  mother-in-law  rose  up,  and  looked  at  the  body, 
while  Marcella  and  I  threw  ourselves  by  its  side  wailing 
and  sobbing  bitterly. 

**  *  Go  to  bed  again,  children,'  said  she  sharply. 
*  Husband,'  continued  she,  *  your  boy  must  have  taken  the 
gun  down  to  shoot  a  wolf,  and  the  animal  has  been  too 
powerful  for  him.  Poor  boy !  he  has  paid  dearly  for  his 
rashness.' 

"  My  father  made  no  reply  ;  I  wished  to  speak — to  tell 
all — but  Marcella,  who  perceived  my  intention,  held  me  by 
the  arm,  and  looked  at  me  so  imploringly,  that  I  desisted. 

"  My  father,  therefore,  was  left  in  his  error ;  but 
Marcella  and  I,  although  we  could  not  comprehend  it, 
were  conscious  that  our  mother-in-law  was  in  some  way 
connected  with  my  brother's  death. 

"  That  day  my  father  went  out  and  dug  a  grave,  and 
when  he  laid  the  body  in  the  earth,  he  piled  up  stones  over 
it,  so  that  the  wolves  should  not  be  able  to  dig  it  up. 
The  shock  of  this  catastrophe  was  to  my  poor  father  very 
severe ;  for  several  days  he  never  went  to  the  chase, 
although  at  times  he  would  utter  bitter  anathemas  and 
vengeance  against  the  wolves. 


The  Phantom  Ship  371 

"  But  during  this  time  of  mourning  on  his  part,  my 
mother-in-law's  nocturnal  wanderings  continued  with  the 
same  regularity  as  before. 

"  At  last,  my  father  took  down  his  gun,  to  repair  to  the 
forest ;  but  he  soon  returned,  and  appeared  much  annoyed. 

**  *  Would  you  believe  it,  Christina,  that  the  wolves 
— perdition  to  the  whole  race — have  actually  contrived 
to  dig  up  the  body  of  my  poor  boy,  and  now  there  is 
nothing  left  of  him  but  his  bones  ? ' 

**  *  Indeed ! '  replied  my  mother-in-law.  Marcella  looked 
at  me,  and  I  saw  in  her  intelligent  eye  all  she  would  have 
uttered. 

"  *  A  wolf  growls  under  our  window  every  night, 
father,'  said  I. 

"  *  Aye,  indeed  ^ — why  did  you  not  tell  me,  boy  ? — 
wake  me  the  next  time  you  hear  it.' 

"  I  saw  my  mother-in-law  turn  away ;  her  eyes  flashed 
fire,  and  she  gnashed  her  teeth. 

"My  father  went  out  again,  and  covered  up  with  a 
larger  pile  of  stones  the  little  remnants  of  my  poor 
brother  which  the  wolves  had  spared.  Such  was  the 
first  act  of  the  tragedy. 

**  The  spring  now  came  on :  the  snow  disappeared, 
and  we  were  permitted  to  leave  the  cottage ;  but  never 
would  I  quit,  for  one  moment,  my  dear  little  sister,  to 
whom,  since  the  death  of  my  brother,  I  was  more  ardently 
attached  than  ever  ;  indeed  I  was  afraid  to  leave  her  alone 
with  my  mother-in-law,  who  appeared  to  have  a  particular 
pleasure  in  ill-treating  the  child.  My  father  was  now 
employed  upon  his  little  farm,  and  I  was  able  to  render 
him  some  assistance. 

**  Marcella  used  to  sit  by  us  while  we  were  at  work, 
leaving  my  mother-in-law  alone  in  the  cottage.  I  ought 
to  observe  that,  as  the  spring  advanced,  so  did  my  mother- 
in-law  decrease  her  nocturnal  rambles,  and  that  we  never 
heard  the  growl  of  the  wolf  under  the  window  after  I 
had  spoken  of  it  to  my  father. 

"One  day,  when  my  father  and  I  were  in  the  field. 


2p'2'  The  Phantom  Ship 

Marcella  being  with  us,  my  mother-in-law  came  out, 
saying  that  she  was  going  into  the  forest,  to  collect  some 
herbs  my  father  wanted,  and  that  Marcella  must  go  to 
the  cottage  and  watch  the  dinner.  Marcella  went,  and 
my  mother-in-law  soon  disappeared  in  the  forest,  taking 
a  direction  quite  contrary  to  that  in  which  the  cottage 
stood,  and  leaving  my  father  and  I,  as  it  were,  between 
her  and  Marcella. 

**  About  an  hour  afterwards  we  were  startled  by 
shrieks  from  the  cottage,  evidently  the  shrieks  of  little 
Marcella.  *  Marcella  has  burnt  herself,  father,'  said  I, 
throwing  down  my  spade.  My  father  threw  down  his, 
and  we  both  hastened  to  the  cottage.  Before  we  could 
gain  the  door,  out  darted  a  large  white  wolf,  which  fled 
with  the  utmost  celerity.  My  father  had  no  weapon ; 
he  rushed  into  the  cottage,  and  there  saw  poor  little 
Marcella  expiring:  her  body  was  dreadfully  mangled, 
and  the  blood  pouring  from  it  had  formed  a  large  pool 
on  the  cottage  floor.  My  father's  first  intention  had  been 
to  seize  his  gun  and  pursue,  but  he  was  checked  by  this 
horrid  spectacle  5  he  knelt  down  by  his  dying  child,  and 
burst  into  tears  :  Marcella  could  just  look  kindly  on  us 
for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  her  eyes  were  closed  in 
death. 

**My  father  and  I  were  still  hanging  over  my  poor 
sister's  body,  when  my  mother-in-law  came  in.  At  the 
dreadful  sight  she  expressed  much  concern,  but  she  did 
not  appear  to  recoil  from  the  sight  of  blood,  as  most 
women  do. 

"  *  Poor  child ! '  said  she,  *  it  must  have  been  that 
great  white  wolf  which  passed  me  just  now,  and  frightened 
me  so — she's  quite  dead,  Krantz.' 

"  *  I  know  it — I  know  it ! '  cried  my  father  in  agony. 

**I  thought  my  father  would  never  recover  from  the 
effects  of  this  second  tragedy :  he  mourned  bitterly  over 
the  body  of  his  sweet  child,  and  for  several  days  would 
not  consign  it  to  its  grave,  although  frequently  requested 
by  my  mother-in-law  to  do  so.     At  last  he  yielded,  and 


The  Phantom  Ship  2>1Z 

dug  a  grave  for  her  close  by  that  of  my  poor  brother, 
and  took  every  precaution  that  the  wolves  should  not 
violate  her  remains. 

"  I  was  now  really  miserable,  as  I  lay  alone  in  the  bed 
which  I  had  formerly  shared  with  my  brother  and  sister. 
I  could  not  help  thinking  that  my  mother-in-law  was 
implicated  in  both  their  deaths,  although  I  could  not 
account  for  the  manner ;  but  I  no  longer  felt  afraid  of 
her  :  my  little  heart  was  full  of  hatred  and  revenge. 

"The  night  after  my  sister  had  been  buried,  as  I  lay 
awake,  I  perceived  my  mother-in-law  get  up  and  go  out 
of  the  cottage.  I  waited  some  time,  then  dressed  myself, 
and  looked  out  through  the  door,  which  I  half  opened. 
The  moon  shone  bright,  and  I  could  see  the  spot  where 
my  brother  and  my  sister  had  been  buried  ;  and  what 
was  my  horror,  when  I  perceived  my  mother-in-law 
busily  removing  the  stones  from  Marcella's  grave. 

**  She  was  in  her  white  night-dress,  and  the  moon  shone 
full  upon  her.  She  was  digging  with  her  hands,  and 
throwing  away  the  stones  behind  her  with  all  the  ferocity 
of  a  wild  beast.  It  was  some  time  before  I  could  collect 
my  senses  and  decide  what  I  should  do.  At  last,  I  per- 
ceived that  she  had  arrived  at  the  body,  and  raised  it  up  to 
the  side  of  the  grave.  I  could  bear  it  no  longer  j  I  ran 
to  my  father  and  awoke  him. 

**  *  Father  !  father  ! '  cried  I,  *  dress  yourself,  and  get 
your  gun.' 

"  *  What ! '  cried  my  father,  *  the  wolves  are  there,  are 
they?' 

**He  jumped  out  of  bed,  threw  on  his  clothes,  and  in 
his  anxiety  did  not  appear  to  perceive  the  absence  of  his 
wife.  As  soon  as  he  was  ready,  I  opened  the  door,  he 
went  out,  and  I  followed  him. 

*'  Imagine  his  horror,  when  (unprepared  as  he  was  for 
such  a  sight)  he  beheld,  as  he  advanced  towards  the  grave, 
not  a  wolf,  but  his  wife,  in  her  night-dress,  on  her  hands 
and  knees,  crouching  by  the  body  of  my  sister,  and  tearing 
off  large  pieces  of  the  flesh,  and  devouring  them  with  all  the 


374  The  Phantom  Ship 

avidity  of  a  wolf.  She  was  too  busy  to  be  aware  of  our 
approach.  My  father  dropped  his  gun,  his  hair  stood  on 
end ;  so  did  mine ;  he  breathed  heavily,  and  then  his 
breath  for  a  time  stopped.  I  picked  up  the  gun  and  put 
it  into  his  hand.  Suddenly  he  appeared  as  if  concentrated 
rage  had  restored  him  to  double  vigour ;  he  levelled  his 
piece,  fired,  and  with  a  loud  shriek,  down  fell  the  wretch 
whom  he  had  fostered  in  his  bosom. 

**  *  God  of  Heaven ! '  cried  my  father,  sinking  down 
upon  the  earth  in  a  swoon,  as  soon  as  he  had  discharged 
his  gun. 

"  I  remained  some  time  by  his  side  before  he  recovered. 

*  Where  am  I  ?  '  said  he,  '  what  has  happened  ? — Oh ! — 
yes,  yes  !  I  recollect  now.     Heaven  forgive  me  ! ' 

"  He  rose  and  we  walked  up  to  the  grave ;  what  again 
was  our  astonishment  and  horror  to  find  that  instead  of  the 
dead  body  of  my  mother-in-law,  as  we  expected,  there 
was  lying  over  the  remains  of  my  poor  sister,  a  large, 
white  she  wolf. 

"  *  The  white  wolf ! '  exclaimed  my  father,  *  the  white 
wolf  which  decoyed  me  into  the  forest — I  see  it  all  now — 
I  have  dealt  with  the  spirits  of  the  Hartz  Mountains.' 

**  For  some  time  my  father  remained  in  silence  and  deep 
thought.  He  then  carefully  lifted  up  the  body  of  my 
sister,  replaced  it  in  the  grave,  and  covered  it  over  as 
before,  having  struck  the  head  of  the  dead  animal  with  the 
heel  of  his  boot,  and  raving  like  a  madman.  He  walked 
back  to  the  cottage,  shut  the  door,  and  threw  himself  on 
the  bed ;  I  did  the  same,  for  I  was  in  a  stupor  of  amaze- 
ment. 

"  Early  in  the  morning  we  were  both  roused  by  a  loud 
knocking  at  the  door,  and  in  rushed  the  hunter  Wilfred. 

**  *  My  daughter  ! — man — my  daughter  ! — where  is  my 
daughter  ! '  cried  he  in  a  rage. 

"  *  Where  the  wretch,  the  fiend,  should  be,  I  trust,' 
replied  my  father,  starting  up  and  displaying  equal  choler ; 

*  where  she  should  be — in  hell ! — Leave  this  cottage  or 
you  may  fare  worse.' 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^ys 


((  c 


Ha — ha  I '  replied  the  hunter,  *  would  you  harm  a 
potent  spirit  of  the  Hartz  Mountains.  Poor  mortal,  who 
must  needs  wed  a  weir  wolf.* 

"  *  Out  demon  !  I  defy  thee  and  thy  power.' 

"  *  Yet  shall  you  feel  it  5  remember  your  oath — your 
solemn  oath — never  to  raise  your  hand  against  her  to  harm 
her.' 

"  '  I  made  no  compact  with  evil  spirits.' 

**  *  You  did ;  and  if  you  failed  in  your  vow,  you  were 
to  meet  the  vengeance  of  the  spirits.  Your  children  were 
to  perish  by  the  vulture,  the  wolf * 

"  *  Out,  out,  demon  ! ' 

"  *  And  their  bones  blanch  in  the  wilderness.  Ha ! — 
ha!' 

"  My  father,  frantic  with  rage,  seized  his  axe,  and 
raised  it  over  Wilfred's  head  to  strike. 

**  *  All  this  I  swear,'  continued  the  huntsman,  mockingly. 

**  The  axe  descended ;  but  it  passed  through  the  form 
of  the  hunter,  and  my  father  lost  his  balance,  and  fell 
heavily  on  the  floor. 

"  *  Mortal ! '  said  the  hunter,  striding  over  my  father's 
body,  *  we  have  power  over  those  only  who  have  com- 
mitted murder.  You  have  been  guilty  of  a  double 
murder — you  shall  pay  the  penalty  attached  to  your 
marriage  vow.  Two  of  your  children  are  gone  ;  the  third 
is  yet  to  follow — and  follow  them  he  will,  for  your  oath 
is  registered.  Go — it  were  kindness  to  kill  thee — your 
punishment  is — that  you  live  ! ' 

"  "With  these  words  the  spirit  disappeared.  My  father 
rose  from  the  floor,  embraced  me  tenderly,  and  knelt 
down  in  prayer. 

"The  next  morning  he  quitted  the  cottage  for  ever. 
He  took  me  with  him  and  bent  his  steps  to  Holland,  where 
we  safely  arrived.  He  had  some  little  money  with  him  j 
but  he  had  not  been  many  days  in  Amsterdam  before  he 
was  seized  with  a  brain  fever,  and  died  raving  mad.  I 
was  put  into  the  Asylum,  and  afterwards  was  sent  to  sea 
before  the  mast.     You  now  know  all  my  history.     The 


^y6  The  Phantom  Ship 

question  is,  whether  I  am  to  pay  the  penalty  of  my  father's 
oath  ?  I  am  myself  perfectly  convinced  that,  in  some  way 
or  another,  I  shall." 

On  the  twenty-second  day  the  high  land  of  the  south  of 
Sumatra  was  in  view ;  as  there  were  no  vessels  in  sight, 
they  resolved  to  keep  their  course  through  the  Straits,  and 
run  for  Pulo  Penang,  which  they  expected,  as  their  vessel 
laid  so  close  to  the  wind,  to  reach  in  seven  or  eight  days. 
By  constant  exposure,  Philip  and  Krantz  were  now  so 
bronzed,  that  with  their  long  beards  and  Mussulman 
dresses,  they  might  easily  have  passed  off  for  natives. 
They  had  steered  during  the  whole  of  the  days  exposed  to 
a  burning  sun ;  they  had  lain  down  and  slept  in  the  dew 
of  night,  but  their  health  had  not  suffered.  But  for 
several  days,  since  he  had  confided  the  history  of  his  family 
to  Philip,  Krantz  had  become  silent  and  melancholy  5  his 
usual  flow  of  spirits  had  vanished,  and  Philip  had  often 
questioned  him  as  to  the  cause.  As  they  entered  the 
Straits,  Philip  talked  of  what  they  should  do  upon  their 
arrival  at  Goa.  When  Krantz  gravely  replied,  "  For 
some  days,  Philip,  I  have  had  a  presentiment  that  I  shall 
never  see  that  city." 

"  You  are  out  of  health,  Krantz,"  replied  Philip. 

"  No ;  I  am  in  sound  health,  body  and  mind.  I  have 
endeavoured  to  shake  off  the  presentiment,  but  in  vain  ; 
there  is  a  warning  voice  that  continually  tells  me  that  I 
shall  not  be  long  with  you.  Philip,  will  you  oblige  me  by 
making  me  content  on  one  point :  I  have  gold  about  my 
person  which  may  be  useful  to  you  5  oblige  me  by  taking 
it,  and  securing  it  on  your  own." 

"  What  nonsense,  Krantz." 

"It  is  no  nonsense,  Philip.  Have  you  not  had  your 
warnings  ?  Why  should  I  not  have  mine  ?  You  know 
that  I  have  little  fear  in  my  composition,  and  that  I  care 
not  about  death ;  but  I  feel  the  presentiment  which  I  speak 
of  more  strongly  every  hour.  It  is  some  kind  spirit  who 
would  warn  me  to  prepare  for  another  world.  Be  it  so. 
I  have  lived  long  enough  in  this  world  to  leave  it  without 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^H"] 

regret  5  although  to  part  with  you  and  Amine,  the  only 
two  now  dear  to  me,  is  painful,  I  acknowledge." 

"  May  not  this  arise  from  over-exertion  and  fatigue, 
Krantz  ?  consider  how  much  excitement  you  have  laboured 
under  within  these  last  four  months.  Is  not  that  enough 
to  create  a  corresponding  depression  ?  Depend  upon  it, 
my  dear  friend,  such  is  the  fact." 

"  I  wish  it  were — but  I  feel  otherwise,  and  there  is  a 
feeling  of  gladness  connected  with  the  idea  that  I  am  to 
leave  this  world,  arising  from  another  presentiment,  which 
equally  occupies  my  mind." 

"Which  is?" 

"  I  hardly  can  tell  you  5  but  Amine  and  you  are  con- 
nected with  it.  In  my  dreams  I  have  seen  you  meet  again ; 
but  it  has  appeared  to  me,  as  if  a  portion  of  your  trial  was 
purposely  shut  from  my  sight  in  dark  clouds  ;  and  I  have 
asked,  *  May  not  I  see  what  is  there  concealed  ? ' — and  an 
invisible  has  answered,  *  No  !  'twould  make  you  wretched. 
Before  these  trials  take  place,  you  will  be  summoned  away ' 
— and  then  I  have  thanked  Heaven,  and  felt  resigned." 

"  These  are  the  imaginings  of  a  disturbed  brain,  Krantz ; 
that  I  am  destined  to  suffering  may  be  true ;  but  why 
Amine  should  suffer,  or  why  you,  young,  in  full  health 
and  vigour,  should  not  pass  your  days  in  peace,  and  live  to 
a  good  old  age,  there  is  no  cause  for  believing.  You  will 
be  better  to-morrow." 

**  Perhaps  so,"  replied  Krantz  ; — "  but  still  you  must 
yield  to  my  whim,  and  take  the  gold.  If  I  am  wrong,  and 
we  do  arrive  safe,  you  know,  Philip,  you  can  let  me  have 
it  back,"  observed  Krantz,  with  a  faint  smile — "  but  you 
forget,  our  water  is  nearly  out,  and  we  must  look  out  for 
a  rill  on  the  coast  to  obtain  a  fresh  supply." 

**  I  was  thinking  of  that  when  you  commenced  this  un- 
welcome topic.  We  had  better  look  out  for  the  water 
before  dark,  and  as  soon  as  we  have  replenished  our  jars, 
we  will  make  sail  again." 

At  the  time  that  this  conversation  took  place,  they  were 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Strait,  about  forty  miles  to  the 


378  The  Phantom  Ship 

northward.  The  interior  of  the  coast  was  rocky  and 
mountainous,  but  it  slowly  descended  to  low  land  of 
alternate  forest  and  jungles,  which  continued  to  the  beach : 
the  country  appeared  to  be  uninhabited.  Keeping  close  in 
to  the  shore,  they  discovered,  after  two  hours'  run,  a  fresh 
stream  which  burst  in  a  cascade  from  the  mountains,  and 
swept  its  devious  course  through  the  jungle,  until  it  poured 
its  tribute  into  the  waters  of  the  Strait. 

They  ran  close  in  to  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  lowered 
the  sails,  and  pulled  the  peroqua  against  the  current,  until 
they  had  advanced  far  enough  to  assure  them  that  the 
water  was  quite  fresh.  The  jars  were  soon  filled,  and 
they  were  again  thinking  of  pushing  off;  when,  enticed  by 
the  beauty  of  the  spot,  the  coolness  of  the  fresh  water, 
and  wearied  with  their  long  confinement  on  board  of  the 
peroqua,  they  proposed  to  bathe — a  luxury  hardly  to  be 
appreciated  by  those  who  have  not  been  in  a  similar 
situation.  They  threw  off  their  Mussulman  dresses,  and 
plunged  into  the  stream,  where  they  remained  for  some 
time.  Krantz  was  the  first  to  get  out ;  he  complained  of 
feeling  chilled,  and  he  walked  on  to  the  banks  where  their 
clothes  had  been  laid.  Philip  also  approached  nearer  to 
the  beach,  intending  to  follow  him. 

"  And  now,  Philip,"  said  Krantz,  "  this  will  be  a  good 
opportunity  for  me  to  give  you  the  money.  I  will  open 
my  sash,  and  pour  it  out,  and  you  can  put  it  into  your  own 
before  you  put  it  on." 

Philip  was  standing  in  the  water,  which  was  about  level 
with  his  waist. 

**  Well,  Krantz,"  said  he,  "  I  suppose  if  it  must  be  so, 
it  must ;  but  it  appears  to  me  an  idea  so  ridiculous — how- 
ever, you  shall  have  your  own  way." 

Philip  quitted  the  run,  and  sat  down  by  Krantz,  who 
was  already  busy  in  shaking  the  doubloons  out  of  the 
folds  of  his  sash  ;  at  last  he  said — 

*'I  believe,  Philip,  you  have  got  them  all,  now  ? — I  feel 
satisfied." 

"What  danger  there  can  be  to  you,  which  I  am  not 


The  Phantom  Ship  379 

equally  exposed  to,  I  cannot  conceive,"  replied  Philip  ; 
"  however " 

Hardly  had  he  said  these  words,  when  there  was  a 
tremendous  roar — a  rush  like  a  mighty  wind  through  the 
air — a  blow  which  threw  him  on  his  back — a  loud  cry — 
and  a  contention.  Philip  recovered  himself,  and  perceived 
the  naked  form  of  Krantz  carried  off  with  the  speed  of 
an  arrow  by  an  enormous  tiger  through  the  jungle.  He 
watched  with  distended  eyeballs ;  in  a  few  seconds  the 
animal  and  Krantz  had  disappeared  ! 

*•  God  of  Heaven !  would  that  Thou  hadst  spared  me 
this,"  cried  Philip,  throwing  himself  down  in  agony  on 
his  face.  "  Oh  !  Krantz,  my  friend — my  brother — too 
sure  was  your  presentiment.  Merciful  God  !  have  pity — 
but  Thy  will  be  done ; "  and  Philip  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears. 

For  more  than  an  hour  did  he  remain  fixed  upon  the 
spot,  careless  and  indifferent  to  the  danger  by  which  he 
was  surrounded.  At  last,  somewhat  recovered,  he  rose, 
dressed  himself,  and  then  again  sat  down — his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  clothes  of  Krantz,  and  the  gold  which  still  lay 
on  the  sand. 

**  He  would  give  me  that  gold.  He  foretold  his  doom. 
Yes !  yes  !  it  was  his  destiny,  and  it  has  been  fulfilled. 
His  bones  will  bleach  in  the  wilderness,  and  the  spirit-hunter 
and  his  wolfish  daughter  are  avenged." 

The  shades  of  evening  now  set  in,  and  the  low  growling 
of  the  beasts  of  the  forest  recalled  Philip  to  a  sense  of  his 
own  danger.  He  thought  of  Amine ;  and  hastily  making 
the  clothes  of  Krantz  and  the  doubloons  into  a  package, 
he  stepped  into  the  peroqua,  with  difficulty  shoved  it  off, 
and  with  a  melancholy  heart,  and  in  silence,  hoisted  the 
sail,  and  pursued  his  course. 

"  Yes,  Amine,"  thought  Philip,  as  he  watched  the  stars 
twinkling  and  corruscating.  "  Yes,  you  are  right,  when 
you  assert  that  the  destinies  of  men  are  foreknown,  and 
may  by  some  be  read.  My  destiny  is,  alas  !  that  I  should 
be  severed  from  ail  I  value  upon  earth,  and  die  friendless 


380  The  Phantom  Ship 

and  alone.  Then  welcome  death,  if  such  is  to  be  the 
case ;  welcome  a  thousand  welcomes  !  what  a  relief  wilt 
thou  be  to  me !  what  joy  to  find  myself  summoned  to 
where  the  weary  are  at  rest !  I  have  my  task  to  fulfil. 
God  grant  that  it  may  soon  be  accomplished,  and  let  not 
my  life  be  embittered  by  any  more  trials  such  as  this." 

Again  did  Philip  weep,  for  Krantz  had  been  his  long- 
tried,  valued  friend,  his  partner  in  all  his  dangers  and 
privations,  from  the  period  that  they  had  met  when  the 
Dutch  fleet  attempted  the  passage  round  Cape  Horn. 

After  seven  days  of  painful  watching  and  brooding  over 
bitter  thoughts,  Philip  arrived  at  Pulo  Penang,  where  he 
found  a  vessel  about  to  sail  for  the  city  to  which  he  was 
destined.  He  ran  his  peroqua  alongside  of  her,  and  found 
that  she  was  a  brig  under  the  Portuguese  flag,  having, 
however,  but  two  Portuguese  on  board,  the  rest  of  the 
crew  being  natives.  Representing  himself  as  an  English- 
man in  the  Portuguese  service,  who  had  been  wrecked, 
and  offering  to  pay  for  his  passage,  he  was  willingly 
received,  and  in  a  few  days  the  vessel  sailed. 

Their  voyage  was  prosperous;  in  six  weeks  they 
anchored  in  the  roads  of  Goa ;  the  next  day  they  went 
up  the  river.  The  Portuguese  captain  informed  Philip 
where  he  might  obtain  lodging ;  and  passing  him  off  as 
one  of  his  crew,  there  was  no  difficulty  raised  as  to  his 
landing.  Having  located  himself  at  his  new  lodging, 
Philip  commenced  some  inquiries  of  his  host  relative  to 
Amine,  designating  her  merely  as  a  young  woman  who  had 
arrived  there  in  a  vessel  some  weeks  before ;  but  he  could 
obtain  no  information  concerning  her.  **  Signor,"  said  the 
host,  "to-morrow  is  the  grand  Auto  da  Fe ;  we  can  do 
nothing  until  that  is  over ;  afterwards,  I  will  put  you  in 
the  way  to  find  out  what  you  wish.  In  the  meantime, 
you  can  walk  about  the  town ;  to-morrow  I  will  take  you 
to  where  you  can  behold  the  grand  procession,  and  then 
we  will  try  what  we  can  do  to  assist  you  in  your  search." 

Philip  went  out,  procured  a  suit  of  clothes,  removed 
his  beard,  and  then  walked  about  the  town,  looking  up 


The  Phantom  Ship  381 

at  every  window  to  see  if  he  could  perceive  Amine.  At 
a  corner  of  one  of  the  streets,  he  thought  he  recognised 
Father  Mathias,  and  ran  up  to  him ;  but  the  monk  had 
drawn  his  cowl  over  his  head,  and  when  addressed  by 
that  name,  made  no  reply. 

"I  was  deceived,"  thought  Philip;  "but  I  really 
thought  it  was  him."  And  Philip  was  right;  it  was 
Father  Mathias,  who  thus  screened  himself  from  Philip's 
recognition. 

Tired,  at  last  he  returned  to  his  hotel,  just  before  it 
was  dark.  The  company  there  were  numerous  ;  every- 
body for  miles  distant  had  come  to  Goa  to  witness  the 
Auto  da  Fe, — and  everybody  was  discussing  the  ceremony. 

"  I  will  see  this  grand  procession,"  said  Philip  to  him- 
self, as  he  threw  himself  on  his  bed.  "  It  will  drive 
thought  from  me  for  a  time,  and  God  knows  how  painful 
my  thoughts  have  now  become.  Amine,  dear  Amine, 
may  angels  guard  thee !  " 


Chapter  XL 

Although  to-morrow  was  to  end  all  Amine's  hopes  and 
fears — all  her  short  happiness — her  suspense  and  misery — 
yet  Amine  slept  until  her  last  slumber  in  this  world  was 
disturbed  by  the  unlocking  and  unbarring  of  the  doors  of 
her  c^U,  and  the  appearance  of  the  head  jailor  with  a  light. 
Amine  started  up — she  had  been  dreaming  of  her  husband 
— of  happiness !  She  awoke  to  the  sad  reality.  There 
stood  the  jailor,  with  a  dress  in  his  hand,  which  he  desired 
she  would  put  on.  He  lighted  a  lamp  for  her,  and  left 
her  alone.  The  dress  was  of  black  serge,  with  white 
stripes. 

Amine  put  on  the  dress,  and  threw  herself  down  on  the 
bed,  trying  if  possible  to  recall  the  dream  from  which  she 
had  been  awakened,  but  in  vain.  Two  hours  passed  away, 
and  the  jailor  again  entered,  and  summoned  her  to  follow 


382  The  Phantom  Ship 

him.  Perhaps  one  of  the  most  appalling  customs  of  the 
Inquisition  is,  that  after  accusation,  whether  the  accused 
parties  confess  their  guilt  or  not,  they  return  to  their 
dungeons,  without  the  least  idea  of  what  may  have  been 
their  sentence,  and  when  summoned  on  the  morning  of  the 
execution  they  are  equally  kept  in  ignorance. 

The  prisoners  were  all  summoned  by  the  jailors,  from 
the  various  dungeons,  and  led  into  a  large  hall,  where 
they  found  their  fellow-sufferers  collected. 

In  this  spacious,  dimly  lighted  hall  were  to  be  seen 
about  two  hundred  men,  standing  up  as  if  for  support, 
against  the  walls,  all  dressed  in  the  same  black  and  white 
serge ;  so  motionless,  so  terrified  were  they,  that  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  rolling  of  their  eyes,  as  they  watched 
the  jailors,  who  passed  and  repassed,  you  might  have 
imagined  them  to  be  petrified.  It  was  the  agony  of 
suspense,  worse  than  the  agony  of  death.  After  a  time,  a 
wax  candle,  about  five  feet  long,  was  put  into  the  hands 
of  each  prisoner,  and  then  some  were  ordered  to  put  on 
over  their  dress  the  Sanbenitos  —  others  the  Samarias  ! 
Those  who  received  these  dresses,  with  flames  painted 
on  them,  gave  themselves  up  for  lost ;  and  it  was  dreadful 
to  perceive  the  anguish  of  each  individual  as  the  dresses 
were  one  by  one  brought  forward,  and  with  the  heavy 
drops  of  perspiration  on  his  brows,  he  watched  with  terror 
lest  one  should  be  presented  to  him.  All  was  doubt,  fear, 
and  horror ! 

But  the  prisoners  in  this  haJl  were  not  those  who  were 
to  suffer  death.  Those  who  wore  the  Sanbenitos  had  to 
walk  in  the  procession  and  receive  but  slight  punishment  j 
those  who  wore  the  Samarias  had  been  condemned,  but 
had  been  saved  from  the  consuming  fire,  by  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  their  offence ;  the  flames  painted  on  their  dresses 
were  reversed^  and  signified  that  they  were  not  to  suffer ; 
but  this  the  unfortunate  wretches  did  not  know,  and  the 
horrors  of  a  cruel  death  stared  them  in  the  face ! 

Another  hall,  similar  to  the  one  in  which  the  men  had 
been  collected,  was   occupied   by  female   culprits.     The 


The  Phantom  Ship  ^S^ 

same  ceremonies  were  observed — the  same  doubt,  fear,  and 
agony  were  depicted  upon  every  countenance.  But  there 
was  a  third  chamber,  smaller  than  the  other  two,  and  this 
chamber  was  reserved  for  those  who  had  been  sentenced, 
and  who  were  to  suffer  at  the  stake.  It  was  into  this 
chamber  that  Amine  was  led,  and  there  she  found  seven 
other  prisoners  dressed  in  the  same  manner  as  herself :  two 
only  were  Europeans,  the  other  five  were  negro  slaves. 
Each  of  these  had  their  confessor  with  them,  and  were 
earnestly  listening  to  his  exhortation.  A  monk  approached 
Amine,  but  she  waved  him  away  with  her  hand  :  he  looked 
at  her,  spat  on  the  floor,  and  cursed  her.  The  head  jailor 
now  made  his  appearance  with  the  dresses  for  those  who 
were  in  this  chamber ;  these  were  Samarias,  only  different 
from  the  others,  inasmuch  as  the  flames  were  painted  on 
them  upwards  instead  of  down.  These  dresses  were  of 
grey  stuff,  and  loose,  like  a  waggoner's  frock  5  at  the 
lower  part  of  them,  both  before  and  behind,  was  painted 
the  likeness  of  the  wearer,  that  is,  the  face  only,  resting 
upon  a  burning  faggot,  and  surrounded  with  flames  and 
demons.  Under  the  portrait  was  written  the  crime  for 
which  the  party  suffered.  Sugar-loaf  caps,  with  flames 
painted  on  them,  were  also  brought  and  put  on  their  heads, 
and  the  long  wax  candles  were  placed  into  their  hands. 

Amine  and  the  others  condemned  being  arrayed  in  these 
dresses,  remained  in  the  chambers,  for  some  hours  before 
it  was  time  for  the  procession  to  commence,  for  they  had 
been  all  summoned  up  by  the  jailors  at  about  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning. 

The  sun  rose  brilliantly,  much  to  the  joy  of  the  members 
of  the  Holy  Office,  who  would  not  have  had  the  day 
obscured  on  which  they  were  to  vindicate  the  honour  of 
the  church,  and  prove  how  well  they  acted  up  to  the  mild 
doctrines  of  the  Saviour — those  of  charity,  good -will, 
forbearing  one  another,  forgiving  one  another.  God  of 
Heaven  !  And  not  only  did  those  of  the  Holy  Inquisition 
rejoice,  but  thousands  and  thousands  more  who  had 
flocked  from  all  parts  to  witness  the  dreadful  ceremony, 


384  The  Phantom  Ship 

and  to  hold  a  jubilee — many  indeed  actuated  by  fanaticism^ 
superstition,  but  more  attended  from  thoughtlessness  and 
the  love  of  pageantry.  The  streets  and  squares  through 
which  the  procession  was  to  pass  were  filled  at  an  early 
hour.  Silks,  tapestries,  and  cloth  of  gold  and  silver  were 
hung  over  the  balconies,  and  out  of  the  windows,  in 
honour  of  the  procession.  Every  balcony  and  window 
was  thronged  with  ladies  and  cavaliers  in  their  gayest 
attire,  all  waiting  anxiously  to  see  the  wretches  paraded 
before  they  suffered ;  but  the  world  is  fond  of  excitement,^ 
and  where  is  anything  so  exciting  to  a  superstitious  people 
as  an  Auto  da  Fe'^ 

As  the  sun  rose,  the  heavy  bell  of  the  Cathedral  tolled, 
and  all  the  prisoners  were  led  down  to  the  Grand  Hall, 
that  the  order  of  the  procession  might  be  arranged.  At 
the  large  entrance  door,  on  a  raised  throne,  sat  the  Grand 
Inquisitor,  encircled  by  many  of  the  most  considerable 
nobility  and  gentry  of  Goa.  By  the  Grand  Inquisitor 
stood  his  Secretary,  and  as  the  prisoners  walked  past  the 
throne,  and  their  names  were  mentioned,  the  Secretary, 
after  each,  called  out  the  names  of  one  of  those  gentlemen, 
who  immediately  stepped  forward,  and  took  his  station  by 
the  prisoner.  These  people  are  termed  the  godfathers  ; 
their  duty  is  to  accompany  and  be  answerable  for  the 
prisoner,  who  is  under  their  charge,  until  the  ceremony  is 
over.  It  is  reckoned  a  high  honour  conferred  on  those 
whom  the  Grand  Inquisitor  appoints  to  this  office. 

At  last  the  procession  commenced.  First  was  raised  on 
high  the  standard  of  the  Dominican  Order  of  Monks,  for 
the  Dominican  Order  were  the  founders  of  the  Inquisition, 
and  claimed  this  privilege,  by  prescriptive  right.  After 
the  banner  the  monks  themselves  followed,  in  two  lines. 
And  what  was  the  motto  of  their  banner?  "Justitia  et 
Misericordia ! "  Then  followed  the  culprits,  to  the 
number  of  three  hundred,  each  with  his  godfather  by 
his  side,  and  his  large  wax  candle  lighted  in  his  hand. 
Those  whose  offences  have  been  most  venial  walk  first ; 
all  are  bareheaded,  and  barefooted.      After  this  portion. 


The  Phantom  Ship  385 

who  wore  only  the  dress  of  black  and  white  serge,  came 
those  who  carried  the  Sanbenitos ;  then  those  who  wore 
the  Samarias,  with  the  flames  reversed.  Here  there  was  a 
separation  in  the  procession,  caused  by  a  large  cross,  with 
the  carved  image  of  Our  Saviour  nailed  to  it,  the  face  of 
the  image  carried  forward.  This  was  intended  to  signify, 
that  those  in  advance  of  the  Crucifix,  and  upon  whom  the 
Saviour  looked  down,  were  not  to  suffer ;  and  that  those 
who  were  behind,  and  upon  whom  his  back  was  turned, 
were  cast  away,  to  perish  for  ever  in  this  world,  and  the 
next.  Behind  the  Crucifix  followed  the  seven  condemned ; 
and,  as  the  greatest  criminal.  Amine  walked  the  last.  But 
the  procession  did  not  close  here.  Behind  Amine  were 
five  effigies,  raised  high  on  poles,  clothed  in  the  same 
dresses,  painted  with  flames  and  demons.  Behind  each 
effigy  was  borne  a  coffin,  containing  a  skeleton ;  the 
effigies  were  of  those  who  had  died  in  their  dungeon,  or 
expired  under  the  torture,  and  who  had  been  tried  and 
c<)ndemned  after  their  death,  and  sentenced  to  be  burnt. 
These  skeletons  had  been  dug  up,  and  were  to  suffer  the 
same  sentence  as,  had  they  still  been  living  beings,  they 
would  have  undergone.  The  effigies  were  to  be  tied  to 
the  stakes,  and  the  bones  were  to  be  consumed.  Then 
followed  the  members  of  the  Inquisition  ;  the  familiars, 
monks,  priests,  and  hundreds  of  penitents,  in  black 
dresses,  which  concealed  their  faces,  all  with  the  lighted 
tapers  in  their  hands. 

It  was  two  hours  before  the  procession,  which  had 
paraded  through  almost  every  important  street  in  Goa, 
arrived  at  the  Cathedral  in  which  the  further  ceremonies 
were  to  be  gone  through.  The  barefooted  culprits  could 
now  scarcely  walk,  the  small  sharp  flints  having  so  wounded 
their  feet,  that  their  tracks  up  the  steps  of  the  Cathedral 
were  marked  with  blood. 

The  grand  altar  of  the  Cathedral  was  hung  with  black 

cloth,  and  lighted  up  with  thousands  of  tapers.     On  one 

side  of  it  was  a  throne  for  the  Grand  Inquisitor,  on  the 

other,  a  raised  platform  for  the  Viceroy  of  Goa,  and  his 

p.s.  2  B 


386  The  Phantom  Ship 

suite.  The  centre  aisle  had  benches  for  the  prisoners,  and 
their  godfathers ;  the  other  portions  of  the  procession 
falling  off  to  the  right  and  left,  to  the  side  aisles,  and 
mixing  for  the  time  with  the  spectators.  As  the  prisoners 
entered  the  Cathedral,  they  were  led  into  their  seats,  those 
least  guilty  sitting  nearest  to  the  altar,  and  those  who  were 
condemned  to  suffer  at  the  stake  being  placed  the  farthest 
from  it. 

The  bleeding  Amine  tottered  to  her  seat,  and  longed 
for  the  hour  which  was  to  sever  her  from  a  Christian 
world.  She  thought  not  of  herself,  nor  of  what  she  was 
to  suffer ;  she  thought  but  of  Philip  ;  of  his  being  safe 
from  these  merciless  creatures — of  the  happiness  of  dying 
first,  and  of  meeting  him  again  in  bliss. 

"Worn  with  long  confinement,  with  suspense  and  anxiety, 
fatigued  and  suffering  from  her  painful  walk,  and  the 
exposure  to  the  burning  sun,  after  so  many  months' 
incarceration  in  a  dungeon,  she  no  longer  shone  radiant 
with  beauty;  but  still  there  was  something  even  more 
touching  in  her  care-worn,  yet  still  perfect  features.  The 
object  of  universal  gaze,  she  had  walked  with  her  eyes 
cast  down,  and  nearly  closed ;  but  occasionally,  when  she 
did  look  up,  the  fire  that  flashed  from  them  spoke  the 
proud  soul  within,  and  many  feared  and  wondered,  while 
more  pitied  that  one  so  young,  and  still  so  lovely,  should 
be  doomed  to  such  an  awful  fate.  Amine  had  not  taken 
her  seat  in  the  Cathedral  more  than  a  few  seconds,  when, 
overpowered  by  her  feelings  and  by  fatigue,  she  fell  back 
in  a  swoon. 

Did  no  one  step  forward  to  assist  her  ?  to  raise  her  up, 
and  offer  her  restoratives  ?  No — not  one.  Hundreds 
would  have  done  so,  but  they  dared  not :  she  was  an  out- 
cast, excommunicated,  abandoned,  and  lost ;  and  should 
any  one,  moved  by  compassion  for  a  suffering  fellow- 
creature,  have  ventured  to  raise  her  up,  he  would  have 
been  looked  upon  with  suspicion,  and  most  probably  have 
been  arraigned,  and  have  had  to  settle  the  affair  of 
conscience  with  the  Holy  Inquisition. 


The  Phantom  Ship  387 

After  a  short  time  two  of  the  officers  of  the  Inquisition 
went  to  Amine  and  raised  her  again  in  her  seat,  and 
she  recovered  sufficiently  to  enable  her  to  retain  her 
posture. 

A  sermon  was  then  preached  by  a  Dominican  monk,  in 
which  he  pourtrayed  the  tender  mercies,  the  paternal  love 
of  the  Holy  Office.  He  compared  the  Inquisition  to  the 
ark  of  Noah,  out  of  which  all  the  animals  walked  after  the 
deluge  ;  but  with  this  difference,  highly  in  favour  of  the 
Holy  Office,  that  the  animals  went  forth  from  the  ark  no 
better  than  they  went  in,  whereas  those  who  had  gone  into 
the  Inquisition  with  all  the  cruelty  of  disposition,  and 
with  the  hearts  of  wolves,  came  out  as  mild  and  patient 
as  lambs. 

The  public  accuser  then  mounted  the  pulpit,  and  read 
from  it  all  the  crimes  of  those  who  had  been  condemned, 
and  the  punishments  which  they  were  to  undergo.  Each 
prisoner,  as  the  sentence  was  read,  was  brought  forward 
to  the  pulpit  by  the  officers,  to  hear  their  sentence, 
standing  up,  with  their  wax  candles  lighted  in  their  hands. 
As  soon  as  the  sentences  of  all  those  whose  lives  had  been 
spared  were  read,  the  Grand  Inquisitor  put  on  his  priestly 
robes  and,  followed  by  several  others,  took  off  from  them 
the  ban  of  excommunication  (which  they  were  supposed 
to  have  fallen  under),  by  throwing  holy  water  on  them 
with  a  small  broom. 

As  soon  as  this  portion  of  the  ceremony  was  over, 
those  who  were  condemned  to  suffer,  and  the  effigies  of 
those  who  had  escaped  by  death,  were  brought  up  one  by 
one,  and  their  sentences  read ;  the  winding  up  of  the 
condemnation  of  all  was  in  the  same  words,  "  that  the 
Holy  Inquisition  found  it  impossible  on  account  of  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts  and  the  magnitude  of  their  crimes, 
to  pardon  them.  With  great  concern  it  handed  them  over 
to  Secular  Justice  to  undergo  the  penalty  of  the  laws ; 
exhorting  the  authorities  at  the  same  time  to  show  clemency 
and  mercy  towards  the  unhappy  wretches,  and  if  they 
must  suffer  death,  that  at  all  events  it  might  be  without 


388  The  Phantom  Ship 

the  spilling  of  bloods  What  mockery  was  this  apparent 
intercession,  not  to  shed  blood,  when  to  comply  with  their 
request,  they  substituted  the  torment  and  the  agony 
of  the  stake  ! 

Amine  was  the  last  who  was  led  forward  to  the  pulpit, 
which  was  fixed  against  one  of  the  massive  columns  of  the 
centre  aisle,  close  to  the  throne  occupied  by  the  Grand 
Inquisitor.  "  You,  Amine  Vanderdecken,"  cried  the 
public  accuser.  At  this  moment  an  unusual  bustle  was 
heard  in  the  crowd  under  the  pulpit,  there  was  struggling 
and  expostulation,  and  the  officers  raised  their  wands  for 
silence  and  decorum — but  it  continued. 

**  You,  Amine  Vanderdecken,  being  accused " 

Another  violent  struggle  ;  and  from  the  crowd  darted  a 
young  man,  who  rushed  to  where  Amine  was  standing, 
and  caught  her  in  his  arms. 

"PhiHp!  Philip!"  screamed  Amine,  falling  on  his 
bosom ;  as  he  caught  her,  the  cap  of  flames  fell  off  her 
head  and  rolled  along  the  marble  pavement.  "  My  Amine 
— my  wife — my  adored  one — is  it  thus  we  meet  ?  My 
lord,  she  is  innocent.  Stand  off,  men,"  continued  he  to  the 
officers  of  the  Inquisition,  who  would  have  torn  them 
asunder.     "  Stand  off,  or  your  lives  shall  answer  for  it." 

This  threat  to  the  officers,  and  the  defiance  of  all  rules, 
were  not  to  be  borne  ;  the  whole  Cathedral  was  in  a  state 
of  commotion,  and  the  solemnity  of  the  ceremony  was 
about  to  be  compromised.  The  Viceroy  and  his  followers 
had  risen  from  their  chairs  to  observe  what  was  passing, 
and  the  crowd  was  pressing  on,  when  the  Grand  Inquisitor 
gave  his  directions,  and  other  officers  hastened  to  the 
assistance  of  the  two  who  had  led  Amine  forward,  and 
proceeded  to  disengage  her  from  Philip's  arms.  The 
struggle  was  severe.  Philip  appeared  to  be  endued  with 
the  strength  of  twenty  men  ;  and  it  was  some  minutes 
before  they  could  succeed  in  separating  him,  and  when 
they  had  so  done,  his  struggles  were  dreadful. 

Amine,  also,  held  by  two  of  the  familiars,  shrieked, 
as  she  attempted  once  more,  but  in  vain,  to  rush  into  her 


The  Phantom  Ship  389 

husband's  arms.  At  last,  by  a  tremendous  effort,  Philip 
released  himself,  but  as  soon  as  he  was  released,  he  sank 
down  helpless  on  the  pavement  j  the  exertion  had  caused 
the  bursting  of  a  blood-vessel,  and  he  lay  without  motion. 

"  Oh  God  !  Oh  God  !  they  have  killed  him — monsters 
— murderers — let  me  embrace  him  but  once  more,"  cried 
Amine,  frantically. 

A  priest  now  stepped  forward — it  was  Father  Mathias 
— with  sorrow  in  his  countenance;  he  desired  some  of 
the  bystanders  to  carry  out  Philip  Vanderdecken,  and 
Philip,  in  a  state  of  insensibility,  was  borne  away  from 
the  sight  of  Amine,  the  blood  streaming  from  his  mouth. 

Amine's  sentence  was  read — she  heard  it  not,  her 
brain  was  bewildered.  She  was  led  back  to  her  seat,  and 
then  it  was  that  all  her  courage,  all  her  constancy  and 
fortitude  gave  way ;  and  during  the  remainder  of  the 
ceremony,  she  filled  the  Cathedral  with  her  wild  hysterical 
sobbing ;  all  entreaties  or  threats  being  wholly  lost  upon 
her. 

All  was  now  over,  except  the  last  and  most  tragical 
scene  of  the  drama.  The  culprits  who  had  been  spared 
were  led  back  to  the  Inquisition  by  their  godfathers,  and 
those  who  had  been  sentenced  were  taken  down  to  the 
banks  of  the  river  to  suffer.  It  was  on  a  large  open 
space,  on  the  left  of  the  Custom-house,  that  this  ceremony 
was  to  be  gone  through.  As  in  the  Cathedral,  raised 
thrones  were  prepared  for  the  Grand  Inquisitor  and  the 
Viceroy,  who,  in  state,  headed  the  procession,  followed 
by  an  immense  concourse  of  people.  Thirteen  stakes 
had  been  set  up,  eight  for  the  living,  five  for  the  dead. 
The  executioners  were  sitting  on,  or  standing  by,  the 
piles  of  wood  and  faggots,  waiting  for  their  victims. 
Amine  could  not  walk ;  she  was  at  first  supported  by  the 
familiars,  and  then  carried  by  them,  to  the  stake  which 
had  been  assigned  for  her.  When  they  put  her  on  her 
feet  opposite  to  it,  her  courage  appeared  to  revive, 
she  walked  boldly  up,  folded  her  arms,  and  leant 
against  it. 


390  The  Phantom  Ship 

The  executioners  now  commenced  their  office:  the 
chains  were  passed  round  Amine's  body — the  wood  and 
faggots  piled  around  her.  The  same  preparations  had 
been  made  with  all  the  other  culprits,  and  the  confessors 
stood  by  the  side  of  each  victim.  Amine  waved  her 
hand  indignantly  to  those  who  approached  her,  when 
Father  Mathias,  almost  breathless,  made  his  appearance 
from  the  crowd,  through  which  he  had  forced  his  way. 

"Amine  Vanderdecken  —  unhappy  woman!  had  you 
been  counselled  by  me  this  would  not  have  been.  Now 
it  is  too  late,  but  not  too  late  to  save  your  soul.  Away 
then  with  this  obstinacy — this  hardness  of  heart ;  call 
upon  the  blessed  Saviour,  that  He  may  receive  your  spirit 
— call  upon  His  wounds  for  mercy.  It  is  the  eleventh 
hour,  but  not  too  late.  Amine,"  continued  the  old  man, 
with  tears,  "  I  implore,  I  conjure  you.  At  least,  may  this 
load  of  trouble  be  taken  from  my  heart." 

"  *  Unhappy  woman  ! '  you  say  ?  "  replied  she,  "  say 
rather,  *  unhappy  priest : '  for  Amine's  sufferings  wiJl  soon 
be  over,  while  you  must  still  endure  the  torments  of  the 
damned.  Unhappy  was  the  day  when  my  husband  rescued 
you  from  death.  Still  more  unhappy  the  compassion 
which  prompted  him  to  offer  you  an  asylum  and  a  refuge. 
Unhappy  the  knowledge  of  you  from  the  first  day  to  the 
last.  I  leave  you  to  your  conscience — if  conscience  you 
retain — nor  would  I  change  this  cruel  death  for  the  pangs 
which  you  in  your  future  life  will  suffer.  Leave  me — 
1  die  in  the  faith  of  my  forefathers^  and  scorn  a  creed  that 
warrants  such  a  scene  as  this." 

"  Amine  Vanderdecken,"  cried  the  priest  on  his  knees, 
clasping  his  hands  in  agony. 

**  Leave  me,  Father." 

"  There  is  but  a  minute  left — for  the  love  of  God " 

"  I  tell  you  then,  leave  me — that  minute  is  my  own." 

Father  Mathias  turned  away  in  despair,  and  the  tears 
coursed  down  the  old  man's  cheeks.  As  Amine  said,  his 
misery  was  extreme. 

The  head  executioner  now  inquired  of  the  confessors 


The  Phantom  Ship  391 

whether  the  culprits  died  in  the  true  faith  ?  If  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  a  rope  was  passed  round  their  necks 
and  twisted  to  the  stake,  so  that  they  were  strangled 
before  the  fire  was  kindled.  All  the  other  culprits  had 
died  in  this  manner;  and  the  head  executioner  inquired 
of  Father  Mathias,  whether  Amine  had  a  claim  to  so 
much  mercy.  The  old  priest  answered  not,  but  shook 
his  head. 

The  executioner  turned  away.  After  a  moment's 
pause,  Father  Mathias  followed  him,  and  seized  him  by 
the  arm,  saying,  in  a  faltering  voice,  "  Let  her  not  suifer 
long." 

The  Grand  Inquisitor  gave  the  signal,  and  the  fires 
were  all  lighted  at  the  same  moment.  In  compliance  with 
the  request  of  the  priest,  the  executioner  had  thrown  a 
quantity  of  wet  straw  upon  Amine's  pile,  which  threw  up 
a  dense  smoke  before  it  burnt  into  flames. 

"  Mother  !  mother  !  I  come  to  thee ! "  were  the  last 
words  heard  from  Amine's  lips. 

The  flames  soon  raged  furiously,  ascending  high  above 
the  top  of  the  stake  to  which  she  had  been  chained. 
Gradually  they  sunk  down ;  and  only  when  the  burning 
embers  covered  the  ground,  a  few  fragments  of  bones 
hanging  on  the  chain  were  all  that  remained  of  the  once 
peerless  and  high-minded  Amine. 


Chapter  XLI 

Years  have  passed  away  since  we  related  Amine's 
sufferings  and  cruel  death  ;  and  now  once  more  we  bring 
Philip  Vanderdecken  on  the  scene.  And  during  this  time, 
where  has  he  been  ?  A  lunatic — at  one  time  frantic, 
chained,  coerced  with  blows  ;  at  others,  mild  and  peaceable. 
Reason  occasionally  appeared  to  burst  out  again,  as  the  sun 
on  a  cloudy  day,  and  then  it  was  again  obscured.  For 
many  years  there  was  one  who  watched  him  carefully,  and 


392  The  Phantom  Ship 

lived  in  hope  to  witness  his  return  to  a  sane  mind ;  he 
watched  in  sorrow  and  remorse, — he  died  without  his 
desires  being  gratified.     This  was  Father  Mathias  ! 

The  cottage  at  Terneuse  had  long  fallen  into  ruin ;  for 
many  years  it  waited  the  return  of  its  owners,  and  at  last  the 
heirs-at-law  claimed  and  recovered  the  substance  of  Philip 
Vanderdecken.  Even  the  fate  of  Amine  had  passed  from 
the  recollection  of  most  people  ;  although  her  portrait,  over 
burning  coals,  with  her  crime  announced  beneath  it,  still 
hangs — as  is  the  custom  in  the  church  of  the  Inquisition — 
attracting,  from  its  expressive  beauty,  the  attention  of  the 
most  careless  passers-by. 

But  many,  many  years  have  rolled  away — Philip's  hair  is 
white — his  once-powerful  frame  is  broken  down — and  he 
appears  much  older  than  he  really  is.  He  is  now  sane ; 
but  his  vigour  is  gone.  Weary  of  life,  all  he  wishes  for 
is  to  execute  his  mission — and  then  to  welcome  death. 

The  relic  has  never  been  taken  from  him  :  he  has  been 
discharged  from  the  lunatic  asylum,  and  has  been  provided 
with  the  means  of  returning  to  his  country.  Alas  !  he  has 
now  no  country — no  home — nothing  in  the  world  to  induce 
him  to  remain  in  it.  All  he  asks  is — to  do  his  duty  and  to 
die. 

The  ship  was  ready  to  sail  for  Europe ;  and  Philip 
Vanderdecken  went  on  board — hardly  caring  whither  he 
went.  To  return  to  Terneuse  was  not  his  object ;  he 
could  not  bear  the  idea  of  revisiting  the  scene  of  so  much 
happiness  and  so  much  misery.  Amine's  form  was  engraven 
on  his  heart,  and  he  looked  forward  with  impatience  to 
the  time  when  he  should  be  summoned  to  join  her  in  the 
land  of  spirits. 

He  had  awakened  as  from  a  dream,  after  so  many 
years  of  aberration  of  intellect.  He  was  no  longer  the 
sincere  Catholic  that  he  had  been ;  for  he  never  thought  of 
religion  without  his  Amine's  cruel  fate  being  brought  to 
his  recollection.  Still  he  clung  on  to  the  relic — he  believed 
in  that — and  that  only.  It  was  his  god — his  creed — his 
everything — the  passport   for   himself  and  for  his  father 


The  Phantom  Ship  393 

into  the  next  world — the  means  whereby  he  should  join 
his  Amine — and  for  hours  would  he  remain  holding  in  his 
hand  that  object  so  valued — gazing  upon  it — recalling  every 
important  event  in  his  life,  from  the  death  of  his  poor 
mother,  and  his  first  sight  of  Amine  ;  to  the  last  dreadful 
scene.  It  was  to  him  a  journal  of  his  existence,  and  on  it 
were  fixed  all  his  hopes  for  the  future. 

"When!  oh  when  is  it  to  be  accomplished!"  was  the 
constant  subject  of  his  reveries.  "  Blessed,  indeed,  will  be 
the  day  when  I  leave  this  world  of  hate,  and  seek  that 
other  in  which  *  the  weary  are  at  rest.' " 

The  vessel  on  board  of  which  Philip  was  embarked  as  a 
passenger  was  the  Nostra  Sefiora  da  Monte,  a  brig  of  three 
hundred  tons,  bound  for  Lisbon.  The  captain  was  an  old 
Portuguese,  full  of  superstition,  and  fond  of  arrack — a 
fondness  rather  unusual  with  the  people  of  his  nation. 
They  sailed  from  Goa,  and  Philip  was  standing  abaft,  and 
sadly  contemplating  the  spire  of  the  Cathedral,  in  which  he 
had  last  parted  with  his  wife,  when  his  elbow  was  touched, 
and  he  turned  round. 

**  Fellow-passenger,  again  1 "  said  a  well-known  voice — 
it  was  that  of  the  pilot  Schriften. 

There  was  no  alteration  in  the  man's  appearance  j  he 
showed  no  marks  of  declining  years ;  his  one  eye  glared  as 
keenly  as  ever. 

Philip  started,  not  only  at  the  sight  of  the  man,  but  at 
the  reminiscences  which  his  unexpected  appearance  brought 
to  his  mind.  It  was  but  for  a  second,  and  he  was  again 
calm  and  pensive. 

"You  here  again,  Schriften.?"  observed  Philip,  s  **  I 
trust  your  appearance  forebodes  the  accomplishment  of  my 
task." 

"  Perhaps  it  does,"  replied  the  pilot ;  "  we  both  are 
weary." 

Philip  made  no  reply ;  he  did  not  even  ask  Schriften  in 
what  manner  he  had  escaped  from  the  fort ;  he  was 
indifferent  about  it  -,  for  he  felt  that  the  man  had  a  charmed 
life. 


394  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  Many  are  the  vessels  that  have  been  wrecked,  Philip 
Vanderdecken,  and  many  the  souls  summoned  to  their 
account  by  meeting  with  your  father's  ship,  while  you  have 
been  so  long  shut  up,"  observed  the  pilot. 

"  May  our  next  meeting  with  him  be  more  fortunate — 
may  it  be  the  last !  "  replied  Philip. 

"  No,  no !  rather  may  he  fulfil  his  doom,  and  sail  till  the 
day  of  judgment,"  replied  the  pilot  with  emphasis. 

"  Vile  caitiff!  I  have  a  foreboding  that  you  will  not  have 
your  detestable  wish.  Away  ! — leave  me !  or  you  shall 
find,  that  although  this  head  is  blanched  by  misery,  this 
arm  has  still  some  power." 

Schriften  scowled  as  he  walked  away ;  he  appeared  to 
have  some  fear  of  Philip,  although  it  was  not  equal  to  his 
hate.  He  now  resumed  his  former  attempts  of  stirring  up 
the  ship's  company  against  Philip,  declaring  that  he  was  a 
Jonas,  who  would  occasion  the  loss  of  the  ship,  and  that 
he  was  connected  with  the  Flying  Dutchman.  Philip  very 
soon  observed  that  he  was  avoided ;  and  he  resorted  to 
counter-statements,  equally  injurious  to  Schriften,  whom 
he  declared  to  be  a  demon.  The  appearance  of  Schriften 
was  so  much  against  him,  while  that  of  Philip,  on  the  con- 
trary, was  so  prepossessing,  that  the  people  on  board  hardly 
knew  what  to  think.  They  were  divided :  some  were  on 
the  side  of  Philip — some  on  that  of  Schriften ;  the  captain 
and  many  others  looking  with  equal  horror  upon  both, 
and  longing  for  the  time  when  they  could  be  sent  out  of 
the  vessel. 

The  captain,  as  we  have  before  observed,  was  very 
superstitious,  and  very  fond  of  his  bottle.  In  the  morning 
he  would  be  sober  and  pray  ;  in  the  afternoon  he  would  be 
drunk,  and  swear  at  the  very  saints  whose  protection  he 
had  invoked  but  a  few  hours  before. 

**  May  Holy  Saint  Antonio  preserve  us,  and  keep  us  from 
temptation,"  said  he,  on  the  morning  after  a  conversation 
with  the  passengers  about  the  Phantom  Ship.  "  All  the 
saints  protect  us  from  harm,"  continued  he,  taking  off  his 
hat  reverentially,  and  crossing  himself.     *'  Let  me  but  rid 


The  Phantom  Ship  395 

myself  of  these  two  dangerous  men  without  accident,  and 
I  will  offer  up  a  hundred  wax  candles,  of  three  ounces 
each,  to  the  shrine  of  the  Virgin,  upon  my  safe  anchoring 
off  the  tower  of  Belem."  In  the  evening  he  changed  his 
language. 

"Now,  if  that  Maldetto  Saint  Antonio  don't  help  us, 
may  he  feel  the  coals  of  hell  yet ;  damn  him  and  his  pigs 
too ;  if  he  has  the  courage  to  do  his  duty,  all  will  be  well ; 
but  he  is  a  cowardly  wretch,  he  cares  for  nobody,  and  will 
not  help  those  who  call  upon  him  in  trouble.  Carambo ! 
that  for  you,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  looking  at  the  small 
shrine  of  the  saint  at  the  bittacle,  and  snapping  his  fingers 
at  the  image — "  that  for  you,  you  useless  wretch,  who 
never  help  us  in  our  trouble.  The  Pope  must  canonise 
some  better  saints  for  us,  for  all  we  have  now  are  worn 
out.  They  could  do  something  formerly,  but  now  I  would 
not  give  two  ounces  of  gold  for  the  whole  calendar ;  as  for 
you,  you  lazy  old  scoundrel," — continued  the  captain, 
shaking  his  fist  at  poor  Saint  Antonio. 
"  The  ship  had  now  gained  off  the  southern  coast  of 
Africa,  and  was  about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  Lagullas 
coast ;  the  morning  was  beautiful,  a  slight  ripple  only 
turned  over  the  waves,  the  breeze  was  light  and  steady, 
and  the  vessel  was  standing  on  a  wind,  at  the  rate  of  about 
four  miles  an  hour. 

"Blessed  be  the  holy  saints,"  said  the  captain,  who  had 
just  gained  the  deck  ;  "  another  little  slant  in  our  favour, 
and  we  shall  lay  our  course. — Again  I  say,  blessed  be  the 
holy  saints,  and  particularly  our  worthy  patron  Saint 
Antonio,  who  has  taken  under  his  peculiar  protection  the 
Nostra  Senora  da  Monte.  We  have  a  prospect  of  fine 
weather ;  come,  signors,  let  us  down  to  breakfast,  and  after 
breakfast  we  will  enjoy  our  cigarros  upon  the  deck." 

But  the  scene  was  soon  changed ;  a  bank  of  clouds  rose 
up  from  the  eastward,  with  a  rapidity  that,  to  the  seamen's 
eyes,  was  unnatural,  and  it  soon  covered  the  whole  firma- 
ment ;  the  sun  was  obscured,  and  all  was  one  deep  and 
unnatural  gloom ;  the  wind  subsided,  and  the  ocean  was 


396  The  Phantom  Ship 

hushed.  It  was  not  exactly  dark,  but  the  heavens  were 
covered  with  one  red  haze,  which  gave  an  appearance  as  if 
the  world  was  in  a  state  of  conflagration. 

In  the  cabin  the  increased  darkness  was  first  observed  by 
Philip,  who  went  on  deck ;  he  was  followed  by  the  captain 
and  passengers,  who  were  in  a  state  of  amazement.  It  was 
unnatural  and  incomprehensible.  "  Now,  holy  Virgin, 
protect  us — what  can  this  be  ? "  exclaimed  the  captain  in  a 
fright.  "Holy  Saint  Antonio,  protect  us — but  this  is 
awful." 

"There!  there!"  shouted  the  sailors,  pointing  to  the 
beam  of  the  vessel.  Every  eye  looked  over  the  gunnel  to 
witness  what  had  occasioned  such  exclamations.  Philip, 
Schriften,  and  the  captain  were  side  by  side.  On  the  beam 
of  the  ship,  not  more  than  two  cables'  length  distant,  they 
beheld,  slowly  rising  out  of  the  water,  the  tapering  mast- 
head and  spars  of  another  vessel.  She  rose,  and  rose 
gradually  ;  her  topmasts  and  top-sail  yards,  with  the  sails 
set,  next  made  their  appearance;  higher  and  higher  she 
rose  up  from  the  element.  Her  lower  masts  and  rigging, 
and,  lastly,  her  hull  showed  itself  above  the  surface.  Still 
she  rose  up  till  her  ports,  with  her  guns,  and  at  last  the 
whole  of  her  floatage  was  above  water,  and  there  she 
remained  close  to  them,  with  her  main-yard  squared,  and 
hove-to. 

"  Holy  Virgin  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain,  breathless ;  "  I 
have  known  ships  to  go  down,  but  never  to  come  up 
before.  Now  will  I  give  one  thousand  candles,  of  ten 
ounces  each,  to  the  shrine  of  the  Virgin  to  save  us  in  this 
trouble.  One  thousand  wax  candles  !  Hear  me,  blessed 
lady ;  ten  ounces  each.  Gentlemen,"  cried  the  captain  to 
the  passengers,  who  stood  aghast — "  why  don't  you 
promise  ? — promise,  I  say  ;  promise,  at  all  events." 

"  The  Phantom  Ship — The  Flying  Dutchman, ^^  shrieked 
Schriften;  "I  told  you  so,  Philip  Vanderdecken ;  there 
is  your  father — He  !  he  !  " 

Philip's  eyes  had  remained  fixed  on  the  vessel ;  he  per- 
ceived that  they  were  lowering    down  a   boat  from  her 


The  Phantom  Ship  397 

quarter.  "It  is  possible,"  thought  he,  "I  shall  now 
be  permitted  ! "  and  Philip  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom 
and  grasped  the  relic. 

The  gloom  now  increased,  so  that  the  strange  vessel's 
hull  could  but  just  be  discovered  through  the  murky 
atmosphere.  The  seamen  and  passengers  threw  them- 
selves down  on  their  knees,  and  invoked  their  saints. 
The  captain  ran  down  for  a  candle,  to  light  before  the 
image  of  St  Antonio,  which  he  took  out  of  its  shrine, 
and  kissed  with  much  apparent  affection  and  devotion, 
and  then  replaced. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  splash  of  oars  was  heard  along- 
side, and  a  voice  calling  out,  "  I  say,  my  good  people, 
give  us  a  rope  from  forward." 

No  one  answered,  or  complied  with  the  request. 
Schriften  only  went  up  to  the  captain,  and  told  him  that 
if  they  offered  to  send  letters  they  must  not  be  re- 
ceived or  the  vessel  would  be  doomed,  and  all  would 
perish. 

A  man  now  made  his  appearance  from  over  the  gunnel, 
at  the  gangway.  **  You  might  as  well  have  let  me  had 
a  side  rope,  my  hearties,"  said  he,  as  he  stepped  on  deck ; 
"  where  is  the  captain  ? " 

"  Here,"  replied  the  captain,  trembling  from  head  to 
foot.  The  man  who  accosted  him  appeared  a  weather- 
beaten  seaman,  dressed  in  a  fur  cap  and  canvas  petticoats  ; 
he  held  some  letters  in  his  hand. 

"  What  do  you  want  ? "  at  last  screamed  the  captain. 

"  Yes — what  do  you  want  ? "  continued  Schriften. 
"He!  he!" 

"  What,  you  here,  pilot  ? "  observed  the  man  ;  "  well 
— I  thought  you  had  gone  to  Davy's  locker,  long  enough 
ago." 

"  He  !  he  !  "  replied  Schriften,  turning  away. 

"Why  the  fact  is,  captain,  we  have  had  very  foul 
weather,  and  we  wish  to  send  letters  home  *,  I  do  believe 
that  we  shall  never  get  round  this  Cape." 

"  I  can't  take  them,"  cried  the  captain. 


398  The  Phantom  Ship 

**  Can't  take  them  !  well,  it's  very  odd — but  every  ship 
refuses  to  take  our  letters ;  it's  very  unkind — seamen 
should  have  a  feeling  for  brother  seamen,  especially  in 
distress.  God  knows,  we  wish  to  see  our  wives  and 
families  again  ;  and  it  would  be  a  matter  of  comfort  to 
them,  if  they  only  could  hear  from  us." 

"I  cannot  take  your  letters — the  saints  preserve  us;" 
replied  the  captain. 

"  We  have  been  a  long  while  out,"  said  the  seaman, 
shaking  his  head. 

"  How  long  ? "  inquired  the  captain,  not  knowing  what 
to  say. 

"  We  can't  tell ;  our  almanack  was  blown  overboard, 
and  we  have  lost  our  reckoning.  We  never  have  our 
latitude  exact  now,  for  we  cannot  tell  the  sun's  declina- 
tion for  the  right  day." 

"  Let  me  see  your  letters,"  said  Philip,  advancing,  and 
taking  them  out  of  the  seaman's  hands. 

**  They  must  not  be  touched,"  screamed  Schriften. 

"  Out,  monster  !  "  replied  Philip,  "  who  dares  interfere 
with  me  ? " 

**  Doomed  « —  doomed  —  doomed  !  "  shrieked  Schriften, 
running  up  and  down  the  deck,  and  then  breaking  into 
a  wild  fit  of  laughter. 

**  Touch  not  the  letters,"  said  the  captain,  trembling  as 
if  in  an  ague  fit. 

Philip  made  no  reply,  but  held  his  hand  out  for  the 
letters. 

"  Here  is  one  from  our  second  mate,  to  his  wife  at 
Amsterdam,  who  lives  on  Waser  Quay." 

"  Waser  Quay  has  long  been  gone,  my  good  friend  ; 
there  is  now  a  large  dock  for  ships  where  it  once  was," 
replied  Philip. 

"  Impossible  !  "  replied  the  man  ;  **  here  is  another 
from  the  boatswain  to  his  father,  who  lives  in  the  old 
market-place." 

**The  old  market-place  has  long  been  pulled  down, 
and  there  now  stands  a  church  upon  the  spot." 


The  Phantom  Ship  399 

"Impossible!"  replied  the  seaman;  ''here  is  another 
from  myself  to  my  sweetheart,  Vrow  Ketser — with  money 
to  buy  her  a  new  brooch." 

Philip  shook  his  head — **  I  remember  seeing  an  old 
lady  of  that  name  buried  some  thirty  years  ago." 

"Impossible!  I  left  her  young  and  blooming.  Here's 
one  for  the  house  of  Slutz  &  Co.,  to  whom  the  ship 
belongs." 

"  There's  no  such  house  now,"  replied  Philip ;  "  but 
I  have  heard,  that  many  years  ago  there  was  a  firm  of 
that  name." 

"  Impossible  !  you  must  be  laughing  at  me.  Here  is 
a  letter  from  our  captain  to  his  son " 

**  Give  it  me,"  cried  Philip,  seizing  the  letter,  he  was 
about  to  break  the  seal,  when  Schriften  snatched  it  out 
of  his  hand,  and  threw  it  over  the  lee  gunnel. 

"  That's  a  scurvy  trick  for  an  old  shipmate,"  observed 
the  seaman.  Schriften  made  no  reply,  but  catching  up 
the  other  letters  which  Philip  had  laid  down  on  the 
capstan,  he  hurled  them  after  the  first. 

The  strange  seaman  shed  tears,  and  walked  again  to 
the  side  : — "It  is  very  hard — very  unkind,"  observed  he, 
as  he  descended;  "the  time  may  come  when  you  may 
wish  that  your  family  should  know  your  situation  ; "  so 
saying,  he  disappeared :  in  a  few  seconds  was  heard  the 
sound  of  the  oars,  retreating  from  the  ship. 

"  Holy  St  Antonio !  "  exclaimed  the  captain,  "  I  am 
lost  in  wonder  and  fright.  Steward,  bring  me  up  the 
arrack." 

The  steward  ran  down  for  the  bottle  ;  being  as  much 
alarmed  as  his  captain,  he  helped  himself  before  he  brought 
it  up  to  his  commander.  "Now,"  said  the  captain,  after 
keeping  his  mouth  for  two  minutes  to  the  bottle,  and 
draining  it  to  the  bottom,  "  what  is  to  be  done  next  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  said  Schriften,  going  up  to  him.  "  That 
man  there  has  a  charm  hung  round  his  neck  ;  take  it  from 
him  and  throw  it  overboard,  and  your  ship  will  be  saved ; 
if  not,  it  will  be  lost,  with  every  soul  on  board." 


400  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  Yes,  yes,  it's  all  right  depend  upon  it ; "  cried  the 
sailors. 

**  Fools,"  replied  Philip,  **  do  you  believe  that  wretch  ? 
Did  you  not  hear  the  man  who  came  on  board  recognise 
him,  and  call  him  shipmate  ?  He  is  the  party  whose 
presence  on  board  will  prove  so  unfortunate." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  cried  the  sailors,  "  it's  all  right,  the  man 
did  call  him  shipmate." 

"  I  tell  you  it's  all  wrong,"  cried  Schriften ;  "  that  is 
the  man,  let  him  give  up  the  charm." 

"  Yes,  yes ;  let  him  give  up  the  charm,"  cried  the 
sailors,  and  they  rushed  upon  Philip. 

Philip  started  back  to  where  the  captain  stood.  "  Mad- 
men, know  ye  what  ye  are  about  ?  It  is  the  holy  cross 
that  I  wear  round  my  neck.  Throw  it  overboard  if  you 
dare,  and  your  souls  are  lost  for  ever ; "  and  Philip  took 
the  relic  from  his  bosom  and  showed  it  to  the  captain. 

"  No,  no,  men ; "  exclaimed  the  captain,  who  was  now 
more  settled  in  his  nerves  ;  "  that  won't  do — the  saints 
protect  us." 

The  seamen,  however,  became  clamorous ;  one  portion 
were  for  throwing  Schriften  overboard,  the  other  for 
throwing  Philip  ;  at  last,  the  point  was  decided  by  the 
captain,  who  directed  the  small  skiiF,  hanging  astern,  to 
be  lowered  down,  and  ordered  both  Philip  and  Schriften 
to  get  into  it.  The  seamen  approved  of  this  arrangement, 
as  it  satisfied  both  parties.  Philip  made  no  objection ; 
Schriften  screamed  and  fought,  but  he  was  tossed  into 
the  boat.  There  he  remained  trembling  in  the  stern 
sheets,  while  Philip,  who  had  seized  the  sculls,  pulled 
away  from  the  vessel  in  the  direction  of  the  Phantom 
Ship. 


The  Phantom  Ship  401 

Chapter  XLII 

In  a  few  minutes  the  vessel  which  Philip  and  Schriften 
had  left  was  no  longer  to  be  discerned  through  the  thick 
haze  ;  the  Phantom  Ship  was  still  in  sight,  but  at  a  much 
greater  distance  from  them  than  she  was  before.  Philip 
pulled  hard  towards  her,  but  although  hove-to,  she 
appeared  to  increase  her  distance  from  the  boat.  For  a 
short  time  he  paused  on  his  oars,  to  regain  his  breath, 
when  Schriften  rose  up  and  took  his  seat  in  the  stern  sheets 
of  the  boat.  "  You  may  pull  and  pull,  Philip  Vander- 
decken,"  observed  Schriften ;  "  but  you  will  not  gain 
that  ship — no,  no,  that  cannot  be — we  may  have  a  long 
cruise  together,  but  you  will  be  as  far  from  your  object 
at  the  end  of  it,  as  you  are  now  at  the  commencement. — 
Why  don't  you  throw  me  overboard  again  ?  You  would 
be  all  the  lighter — He  !  he  !  " 

"  I  threw  you  overboard  in  a  state  of  frenzy,"  replied 
Philip,  "  when  you  attempted  to  force  from  me  my  relic." 

"  And  have  I  not  endeavoured  to  make  others,  take  it 
from  you  this  very  day  ? — Have  I  not — He  !  he  !  " 

**  You  have,"  rejoined  Philip ;  "  but  I  am  now  con- 
vinced, that  you  are  as  unhappy  as  myself,  and  that  in 
what  you  are  doing,  you  are  only  following  your  destiny, 
as  I  am  mine.  Why,  and  wherefore  I  cannot  tell,  but 
we  are  both  engaged  in  the  same  mystery ; — if  the  success 
of  my  endeavours  depends  upon  guarding  the  relic,  the 
success  of  yours  depends  upon  your  obtaining  it,  and 
defeating  my  purpose  by  so  doing.  In  this  matter  we 
are  both  agents,  and  you  have  been,  as  far  as  my  mission 
is  concerned,  my  most  active  enemy.  But,  Schriften,  I 
have  not  forgotten,  and  never  will,  that  you  kindlily  did 
advise  my  poor  Amine  ;  that  you  prophesied  to  her  what 
would  be  her  fate,  if  she  did  not  listen  to  your  counsel ; 
that  you  were  no  enemy  of  hers,  although  you  have  been, 
and  are  still  mine.  Although  my  enemy,  for  her  sake  / 
forgive  you,  and  will  not  attempt  to  harm  you." 
p.s.  2  c 


402  The  Phantom  Ship 

"  You  do  then  forgive  your  enemy,  Philip  Vanderdecken  ?  " 
replied  Schriften,  mournfully,  "  for  such,  I  acknowledge 
myself  to  be." 

"  I  do,  with  all  my  hearty  with  all  my  soul,^^  replied  Philip. 

"  Then  have  you  conquered  me,  Philip  Vanderdecken; 
you  have  now  made  me  your  friend,  and  your  wishes  are 
about  to  be  accomplished.  You  would  know  who  I  am. 
Listen : — when  your  Father,  defying  the  Almighty's  will, 
in  his  rage  took  my  life,  he  was  vouchsafed  a  chance  of  his 
doom  being  cancelled,  through  the  merits  of  his  son.  I 
had  also  my  appeal,  which  was  for  vengeance;  it  was 
granted  that  I  should  remain  on  earth,  and  thwart  your 
will.  That  as  long  as  we  were  enemies,  you  should  not 
succeed ;  but  that  when  you  had  conformed  to  the  highest 
attribute  of  Christianity,  proved  on  the  holy  cross,  that  of 
forgiving  your  enemy,  your  task  should  be  fulfilled.  Philip 
Vanderdecken,  you  have  forgiven  your  enemy,  and  both 
our  destinies  are  now  accomplished." 

As  Schriften  spoke,  Philip's  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him. 
He  extended  his  hand  to  Philip — it  was  taken ;  and  as  it 
was  pressed,  the  form  of  the  pilot  wasted  as  it  were  into 
the  air,  and  Philip  found  himself  alone. 

"  Father  of  Mercy,  I  thank  Thee,"  said  Philip,  "  that  my 
task  is  done,  and  that  I  again  may  meet  my  Amine." 

Philip  then  pulled  towards  the  Phantom  Ship,  and  found 
that  she  no  longer  appeared  to  leave  him  ;  on  the  contrary, 
every  minute  he  was  nearer  and  nearer,  and  at  last  he  threw 
in  his  oars,  climbed  up  her  sides,  and  gained  her  deck. 

The  crew  of  the  vessel  crowded  round  him. 

"  Your  captain,"  said  Philip  ;  "  I  must  speak  with  your 
captain." 

"  Who  shall  I  say,  sir  ? "  demanded  one,  who  appeared 
to  be  the  first  mate. 

"Who?"  replied  Philip;  "tell  him  his  son  would 
speak  to  him,  his  son  Philip  Vanderdecken." 

Shouts  of  laughter  from  the  crew,  followed  this  answer 
of  Philip's  j  and  the  mate,  as  soon  as  they  ceased,  observed 
with  a  smile. 


The  Phantom  Ship  403 

"  You  forget,  sir,  perhaps  you  would  say  his  father." 

"  Tell  him  his  son,  if  you  please,"  replied  Philip,  "  take 
no  note  of  grey  hairs." 

"Well,  sir,  here  he  is  coming  forward,"  replied  the 
mate,  stepping  aside,  and  pointing  to  the  captain. 

"  What  is  all  this  ?  "  inquired  the  captain. 

"Are  you  Philip  Vanderdecken,  the  captain  of  this 
vessel  ? " 

"  I  am,  sir,"  replied  the  other. 

"You  appear  not  to  know  me !  But  how  can  you  ? 
you  saw  me  but  when  I  was  only  three  years  old  ;  yet  may 
you  remember  a  letter  which  you  gave  to  your  wife." 

"  Ha  !  "  replied  the  captain ;  "  and  who  then  are  you  ? " 

"  Time  has  stopped  with  you,  but  with  those  who  live 
in  the  world  he  stops  not !  and  for  those  who  pass  a  life 
of  misery,  he  hurries  on  still  faster.  In  me,  behold  your 
son,  Philip  Vanderdecken,  who  has  obeyed  your  wishes  5 
and  after  a  life  of  such  peril  and  misery  as  few  have  passed, 
has  at  last  fulfilled  his  vow,  and  now  offers  to  his  father 
the  precious  relic  that  he  required  to  kiss." 

Philip  drew  out  the  relic,  and  held  it  towards  his  father. 
As  if  a  flash  of  lightning  had  passed  through  his  mind,  the 
captain  of  the  vessel  started  back,  clasped  his  hands,  fell 
on  his  knees,  and  wept. 

"  My  son,  my  son  !  "  exclaimed  he,  rising,  and  throwing 
himself  into  Philip's  arms,  "my  eyes  are  opened — the 
Almighty  knows  how  long  they  have  been  obscured." 
Embracing  each  other,  they  walked  aft,  away  from  the 
men,  who  were  still  crowded  at  the  gangway. 

"My  son,  my. noble  son,  before  the  charm  is  broken — 
before  we  resolve,  as  we  must,  into  the  elements,  oh  !  let 
me  kneel  in  thanksgiving  and  contrition  :  my  son,  my  noble 
son,  receive  a  father's  thanks,"  exclaimed  Vanderdecken. 
Then  with  tears  of  joy  and  penitence  he  humbly  addressed 
himself  to  that  Being,  whom  he  once  so  awfully  defied. 

The  elder  Vanderdecken  knelt  down :  Philip  did  the 
same ;  still  embracing  each  other  with  one  arm,  while  they 
raised  on  high  the  other,  and  prayed. 


404  The  Phantom  Ship 

For  the  last  time  the  relic  was  taken  from  the  bosom  of 
Philip  and  handed  to  his  father — and  his  father  raised  his 
eyes  to  heaven  and  kissed  it.  And  as  he  kissed  it,  the 
long  tapering  upper  spars  of  the  Phantom  vessel,  the  yards 
and  sails  that  were  set,  fell  into  dust,  fluttered  in  the  air 
and  sank  upon  the  wave.  Then  mainmast,  foremast,  bow- 
sprit, everything  above  the  deck,  crumbled  into  atoms  and 
disappeared. 

Again  he  raised  the  relic  to  his  lips,  and  the  work  of 
destruction  continued,  the  heavy  iron  guns  sank  through 
the  decks  and  disappeared ;  the  crew  of  the  vessel  (who 
were  looking  on)  crumbled  down  into  skeletons,  and  dust, 
and  fragments  of  ragged  garments  -,  and  there  were  none 
left  on  board  the  vessel  in  the  semblance  of  life  but  the 
father  and  the  son. 

Once  more  did  he  put  the  sacred  emblem  to  his  lips,  and 
the  beams  and  timbers  separated,  the  decks  of  the  vessel 
slowly  sank,  and  the  remnants  of  the  hull  floated  upon 
the  water ;  and  as  the  father  and  son — the  one  young  and 
vigorous,  the  other  old  and  decrepit — still  kneeling,  still 
embracing,  with  their  hands  raised  to  heaven,  sank  slowly 
under  the  deep  blue  wave,  the  lurid  sky  was  for  a  moment 
illumined  by  a  lightning  cross. 

Then  did  the  clouds  which  obscured  the  heavens  roll 
away  swift  as  thought — the  sun  again  burst  out  in  all  his 
splendour — the  rippling  waves  appeared  to  dance  with  joy. 
The  screaming  sea-gull  again  whirled  in  the  air,  and  the 
scared  albatross  once  more  slumbered  on  the  wing.  The 
porpoise  tumbled  and  tossed  in  his  sportive  play,  the 
albicore  and  dolphin  leaped  from  the  sparkling  sea. — All 
nature  smiled  as  if  it  rejoiced  that  the  charm  was  dissolved 
for  ever,  and  that  "  The  Phantom  Ship  "  was  no  more. 


THE   END. 


TCRNBULL  AND  SPEARS,   PRINTERS,   EDINBURGH. 


C/ 


